The Wicked Wyckerly

The year is 1807. John Fitzhugh "Fitz" Wyckerly never expected to inherit the family title. But after the deaths of his father and older brother, Fitz becomes the seventh Earl of Danecroft. Having grown up pretty much ignored by his family, Fitz had not received a great education. Yet when it comes to mathematics, Fitz is a genius. With his talent, Fitz wins enough money gambling to allow him the pretense of luxury and indolence. Now an earl, Fitz learns that he has inherited the crumbling estate and massive debts. Gambling will not help with the amount of debt involved. Fitz decides that the first thing he needs to do is reclaim his illegitimate daughter, Penelope, from her caregiver and then head to London to search of a very rich wife. Isabell Hoyt is the youthful Dowager Marchioness of Belden. Lady Belden has achieved the envious state of being a titled, independently wealthy widow. Having just found the unopened letters to her late husband from Abigail Merriweather, Lady Belden decides to give dowries to deserving young women so they may have the freedom to choose their own paths to happiness and need not depend on finding a husband. Lord Quentin Hoyt, younger son of the recently installed fourth Marquess of Belden, claims that those same young women would be happier married to his friends. A wager is made and Lady Belden takes Abby under her wing. Abigail "Abby" Merriweather runs a rural farm. Her father is deceased and she has lost custody of her four young half siblings. Her letters to her father's marquess cousin for help in regaining the children have gone unanswered. Then Fitz and his rebellious daughter show up. As Fitz and Penny stay with her for a short spell, Abby begins considering finding and marrying a lawyer. But where does one find a potential lawyer husband that would also care to have an instant family? When Lady Belden shows up, Abby's entire world changes. ***** FIVE STARS! Patricia Rice is fast becoming the go-to person for readers seeking entertaining, yet believable Regency Romance stories. This tale has a little danger and suspense, but the main focus is right where it should be - on Abby and Fitz. A sub-plot with engaging secondary characters adds a bit of zing and foreshadows events to unfold later in the series. I can hardly wait for the next rebellious son. ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

The other reviews explained the story in depth. I just wanted to say that I agree: this is a very enjoyable story and I highly recommend it. I am looking forward to the next in this series.

In 1807, following the deaths of his father and brother, John Fitzhugh "Fitz" Wyckerly becomes Earl of Danecroft. Being the spare, Fitz was predominantly ignored. He used his brilliancy in math to make money gambling that enabled him live a hedonistic lifestyle with no previous interest in the family estate or fortune. Fitz finds out the estate is falling apart and he owes a fortune. He does not need to compute to know he cannot gamble his way out of debt as he owes that much. Instead Fitz needs a wealthy wife so he decides to recognize his illegitimate daughter Penelope and take her to London with him as the tool to entice a spouse with money. Affluent widow Isabell Hoyt is a young Dowager Marchioness. When she reads letters sent to her late spouse from Abigail Merriweather, she decides to sponsor young women bestowing dowries so that they have options besides accepting a husband not of their desire. Lord Quentin Hoyt bets her that these females will choose spouses. The first stake is Abby the farmer who just lost custody of her four young half siblings. Fitz and Penelope arrive at Abby's place causing havoc as the female farmer considers marrying a lawyer who will help her regain custody of her family if she can find one. Adding to the chaos is the arrival of Isabell. The first Rebellious Sons Regency romance is a fast-paced entertaining gender war enhanced by the chaos that reminded this reviewer of the cabin scene in Night of the Opera as one more person kept arriving. The wager enhances the fun although betting on Regency relationships has been done before. Fitz and Abby are a wonderful pairing as she enjoys his flirting yet knows he stinks as a father at a time she wants custody of her siblings. Sub-genre fans will enjoy the wild Wicked Wyckerly. Harriet Klausner

John Fitzhugh "Fitz" Wykerly is a charming, devil-may-care second son who makes his way by gambling, but when his brother dies and leaves him the title, a tumbled-down estate, and creditors littering the lawn, he must reevaluate his lifestyle. Gambling won't enable the new Earl of Danvers to pay long-overdue salaries of the servants, let alone the suffocating debts he's inherited. He must find a way to counter his family's financial disaster or lose his heritage. With his illegitimate daughter, Penelope, in tow, he sets out for London to find a rich wife. Abigail Merriweather is seeking help to regain custody of her four young half-brothers and sisters when a handsome rogue and his irrepressible daughter are deposited on her doorstep. Until the mysterious Fitz can find a way to continue his journey, she assigns him duties on her farm. Meanwhile she awaits an answer from her late father's cousin--a marquess would certainly be able to champion her cause in the courts. Assistance pops up in an unexpected legacy, and she is whisked to London in search of a husband. As Fitz and Abby conduct their separate quests in London, they continue to encounter each other, and their initial attraction ripens into something more, despite the suspicious warnings of a pair of intriguing friends. It seems hopeless, however. He may be very handsome and very charming, but he is very broke. She may be quite adorable and quite determined, but her inheritance is quite small. He can't allow his personal desires to override his responsibilities. And she will never gain custody of her siblings if she weds a penniless gambler. Yet fate keeps tossing them in each other's way. And who, after all, can fight fate? Their delightful love story follows their twisting paths to self-discovery and change, through growth and acceptance.--of themselves and each other. In the first of her "Rebellious Sons" series, Rice gives readers a sparkling tale brimming with a spirited heroine, an appealing hero, and charming, if perspicacious, youngsters. The supporting characters are vividly drawn, as well, with wit and traces of mystery. Rice's last few books have entertained readers with mystical worlds populated by characters whose magic challenged and charmed. In The Wicked Wykerly, the popular author returns to the glittering Regency period where manners and money rule the "polite" world. Her characters, however, have lost none of their ability to transport readers with their searches for the true meaning of life and the honest relationships that make it worth living. Rice may have left her `magic' stories for now, but the magic has certainly not left her stories. Her humor and engaging voice echo from every page of Wyckerly and when the end arrives, readers will have only one question: When is the next "Rebellious Son" story due? Review by Barbara H.

The Wicked Wyckerly by Patricia Rice Historical Romance - July 6, 2010 4 ½ Starts The Wicked Wyckerly is the first book in Patricia Rice's new historical Rebellious Sons series. This Regency series starts out with a charming cast of characters and a lively plot. The Wicked Wykerly tells the story of John Fitzhugh Wyckerly who as the younger son to the Earl of Danecroft he uses his mathematical genius to make his living. As a successful gambler, he is able to win enough money to sustain an appearance of luxury. Contented with his way of life, his life is turned upside-down with the unexpected death of his older brother. Now he has become the fifth Earl of Danecroft. But upon becoming the new Earl, Fitz discovers he has inherited a crumbling estate and massive debts. This in addition to the mounting money problems are added responsibility of caring for his recently reclaimed illegitimate daughter, Penelope. But Fitz feels he must do the proper thing but he needs time alone to decide on the best way to set things right. So he leaves London to claiming a prized stallion he has won and encounters the lovely and enchanting Miss Abigail Merriweather. Abigail is currently dealing with her own set of problems. The new Earl is immediately enchanted by Miss Merriweather but realizes he can't get involved. For he knows it would be dishonorable to start a relationship when his only way of saving the Earldom is to find a rich wife in London to save his mortgaged estate. So, no matter how delectable Miss Merriweather is, she is a complication he doesn't need. Miss Abigail Merriweather is a woman on her own. She needs to find a solicitor who will help her to reclaim her younger siblings; children who were unfairly taken out of her custody due to the lack of male influence. When she meets Fitz she is immediately drawn to him but both of them soon recognize any relationship will not end well. Luckily fate takes a hand in the form of the recently widowed Dowager Marchioness of Belden. She is a distant relative of Miss Merriweather's and whisks Abigail off to London. Where despite their best efforts Abigail and Fitz are constantly thrown together! As a result, both have a hard time keeping their increasing feelings for one another a secret. Patricia Rice is a fabulous storyteller. This book was an engaging and fun read. The 2 main characters are great. Both are somewhat flawed which makes them all the more real. This allowed me to easily relate to them and hope they would end up happily together. The main characters are appealing and as their troubles mount their personalities make them more compelling to read. The many sub characters add extra sparkle and extra excitement to this charming romance. I can't wait for this series to continue and hope for more stories that continue more characters' journeys toward love. For readers who are looking for an enjoyable historical romance that is chocked full of entertainment and includes character