The Wicked Wyckerly- Patricia Rice

The Wicked Wyckerly
Patricia Rice
Signet, Jul 6 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780451230713

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