Name: The Wicked Wyckerly
ISBN: 9780451230713

Patricia Rice

When he becomes the seventh Earl of Danecroft, inheriting a crumbling estate and a mountain of debt, John Fitzhugh Wyckerly heads to London in search of a very rich wife, but instead finds himself drawn to a beautiful farmer's daughter. Original.

The Wicked Wyckerly

Sans

Such a different hero from my usual fare. Not as self-sacrificing as some leading men and nowhere near an Alpha, Fitz is more of an Omega or Rogue hero. He makes his living surviving on the fringes of polite society, earning his coin gambling (naturally, since he's a second son with no prospects or formal education and is a natural maths genius). Genuinely wishing to do the right thing while keeping the world at bay, he's charming, self-effacing, quick on his feet and willing to give everything up just for a chance to be happy.

As for Abby, she's strong, independent without being mulish, smart and knows that what she needs to do to take care of the people she loves. She's willing to throw herself in feet first and work hard to keep from giving in when just about everyone around her was expecting failure. Or at least capitulation to the expectations of polite society.

I loved watching them come together, defying doing the smart thing in favor of doing what they know is best for them. Lovely. It was also nice to have a "realistic" story in terms of finances. If you take the citizens of Romancelandia at face value, the entire landscape is peopled with Peers and the landed gentry, all with coffers that overfloweth. But Fitz and Abby were very much like a modern couple. On most days they don't have two coins to rub together and have to find creative ways to support their families with a distinct lack of fundage.

The dialogue was wry and subtle. I didn't laugh out loud much but I had a knowing little grin plastered to my face through most of the book. Recommended for just about any romance fan out there. Unless you only read those deep and dark plots with eeeeeevil villains and violence and foreboding on every page. If that's the case, this might leave you restless and skimming the good stuff.