The Viscount's Wicked Ways

by Anne Mallory

HE HAS A WAY WITH WOMEN ...

Thomas Ashe, the brooding Viscount Blackfield, is a man any lady would shun. But Patience Harrington, try as she might, has never been a proper lady. Her bumbled London season left her with no marital prospects and no recourse but to accept her father's invitation to travel to gloomy Blackfield Castle. Surely, spending a few nights in the presence of priceless antiques and a devilish viscount can't be as bad as facing the ton gossip.

Focused solely on his secret government project, Thomas cares little for the valuable antiques he's recently inherited. The troublesome young woman who has come to assess them, however, stirs his senses in every way. Patience is a distraction Thomas can ill afford --- a beautiful temptation that makes him ache with desire. For a spy is threatening to destroy all he has built, and Patience is hiding something. With so much at stake, Thomas must do whatever it takes to seduce the truth from Patience's lips before lives --- and his own heart --- are lost.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Fiction, Espionage, Chick Lit, Regency

372 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 28, 2006

About the author

Some people have always known they wanted to write. Others fall into it and discover its inherent joy. I’m somewhere in between. As an avid reader, writing a novel had always tickled the back of my mind. There seem to be a lot of people who say, “Someday I’ll write a book.” For me, the feeling tickled, moved into an incessant knocking and finally became a dull roar. All I needed was to make that “someday” into “today.”

I’ve always considered myself a creator, so transitioning to writer was not as grueling as it might have been. From creating two minute stories for people on the street, to creating jewelry, crafts, stained glass, pottery, music, crazy art projects… the list of things I like to create (and buy all the necessary materials for) keeps getting longer amidst my family’s exasperated groans. I love to start something from scratch, and then mold and shape it into a finished project. Writing books provides a challenge I accept with relish (and a bit of hair pulling). Building a world, populating it with characters and giving them a script and satisfying ending - what more could a creative type ask for?

I’ve always loved romance novels, ever since I started sneaking them from my Mom in elementary school. I mean, what’s not to love? Rakish men and smart, feisty women, adventure and mystery, the love and loyalty between two people. Give me a roomful of romances, some Agatha Christie, some Edgar Allan Poe, the Harry Potter series and an armful of other fantasy novels, (and steady meals with chocolate) and I’m in heaven.

And heaven is what I consider a particular cottage on an inland lake in northern Michigan during the summertime. If you are headed “up north” this summer, maybe I’ll see you on the way…

Anne Bytes (or pseudo trivia)

Started writing on September 11th, 2001 as an escape from the day (needed an escape with a happy ending).
Thinks that 11pm is a perfectly normal time to begin reading a 400 page book.
Escaped from Alcatraz (story here).
Got a hole-in-one on a Par 3 and was just happy to have beaten her Dad on a hole for once. After a quick rotating hip dance, she was surprised to see her Dad still looking from the tee to the hole where the ball had bounced once and dropped in. His mouth was hanging open. Anne’s response? “What?” (In coding terms, Anne != golfer. That’s “Anne is obviously not a golfer” for you normal people).
Loves tubing (behind a boat) and roller coasters (Cedar Point, here we come!).
Loves paddleball, especially “extreme” paddleball. In the normal variety of paddleball, she helped score 432 hits with Cousins J and Mg one summer day.
Played at Carnegie Hall and was so excited she launched her violin bow across the stage when she got to the picking section of the piece. Thankfully said bow was recovered in time to start bowing once more.
Saw a Great White Shark in real life (at Monterey Bay Aquarium, thankfully).
Wrote her first (and only until Masquerading) book in sixth grade. It was a thriller/mystery centering around two sixth grade detectives. Her Mom assures her it is still well loved (read: stashed in the attic).
Began Masquerading the Marquess on Good Friday 2002, sold it on Good Friday 2003.
Considers herself a hobby collector. Friends and Family like to call her hobby “pack ratting.”
Can relate to the line in Office Space, “Um, I’m gonna need you to go ahead and come in tomorrow. So if you could be here around nine, that would be great. Oh, oh, yea… I forgot. I’m gonna also need you to come in Sunday too.”

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think if this were another author I would rate this about 3.5 stars, but since it’s Anne Mallory I cannot physically rate this lower than 4 stars.

A couple of reviewers called this gothic romance because she references Ann Radcliffe and Patience has an overactive imagination, a nod to Northanger Abbey, but other than that, I dunno. It has some elements yet the overall *atmosphere* and other features are missing in my opinion. And because of the wink to Northanger Abbey you’re kind of waiting for Mallory to pull the curtain back and reveal everything. Besides all the talk of spies heightens the modern feel of it, a more espionage feel.

The mystery itself didn’t intrigue me too much. I kind of figured out the villain which was fine. I liked Patience and Thomas as a couple. Patience strikes me as someone who could be read as neurodivergent if you’d like. She infodumps and misses cues in social situations. Thomas at one point literally coaches her on small talk. Because these innocent comments she makes get twisted by social climbers, and now her reputation has been ruined. Because of course, it would at a time like that. If even one person wanted to get a leg up on you. If you don’t have siblings running interference, close female friends, or even a chaperone on hand. Patience has a loving father who gives her freedom in other ways including working as an antiquarian. This freedom allows her to get close to Thomas as well, and in fact, her damaged reputation means she can get closer to him because she’s already compromised of sorts.

Mallory has her men run hot and cold but it works here and I don’t hate Thomas for it. She runs her POVs mostly from the woman’s side of things because the men know most of the information and they slowly let the women in. Since this is her third published book, it’s even more pronounced here. We get a few snippets of Thomas’ POV, but this is Patience’s book.

[Katyana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a tough one to rate. Like all of Anne Mallory's books, the interaction between the characters (and particularly the hero and heroine) were a heck of a lot of fun - I was laughing out loud on many occasions. Both from the banter between them, and from the utter cluelessness of the heroine, and the innuendo that would come innocently out of her mouth at the most utterly inappropriate times.

But something about this book doesn't sit quite right with me. It feels less developed than other books that I have enjoyed by this author. First off, the plot wrap-up was REALLY fast, and I found that problematic. I think part of the problem was that the author had a zillion red herrings - by the end, I was half-willing to believe that the entire castle was filled with spies. So given that level of ... complexity, having the wrap up occur in this blur with *maybe* a page spent on it, it wasn't enough. I didn't feel sold (my reaction was literally "wait, what?"), and it felt like it was being tossed off. One of the things I really love about Mallory's books is the twisty plotting - it is always intriguing! So that was a bit of a disappointment.

And I sadly felt that the romantic resolution suffered much of the same fate - it occurred in a whirlwind on the last couple pages, and I just wasn't really sold. That was particularly disappointing, because I felt that things had been great up until those last 5-10 pages. And then it was like:

Her: "Hey, I have a great idea, let's ball up all our problems and chuck them out the window!"

Him: "That is a great idea!"

*open window, chuck problems*

Him: "I love you."

Her: "And I love you."

*she smiles at him*

THE END.

Soooooo yeah. Disappointing. Oh well, they can't ALL be 5-stars.

[daemyra, the realm's delight · Rating 1 out of 5]

Northanger Abbey may be my favourite work by Jane Austen because Catherine Morland is a most hilarious lady that comes off endearing for all her naivety about life. In The Viscount's Wicked Ways, Patience is the reincarnation of that same lady in spirit. Patience has an overactive imagination and it leads to fanciful conclusions when she makes a trip to a gothic castle on behalf of her uncle at the British Museum in order to catalog an antiquities collection at the estate. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you. Or in Patience's case - just because you have an overactive imagination doesn't mean there's not mischief afoot. There is a mysterious secret at Blackfield Castle and Patience is on the trail.

How I wished this worked but it reminds me of Mallory's The Earl of Her Dreams: an intriguing plot that is somewhat interesting in execution but the romance itself is not there and then the whole thing starts to sink into itself. The heart of the story is the gothic mystery when it should be the HEA, just like in The Earl of Her dreams it was all about the murder mystery rather than the HEA. I am reading Mallory's back catalogue because I am a die-hard fan, but so far the only thing you can say about her earlier works is that you get a better sense of Mallory as a writer. There are bursts of humour and passion but this is overall as bland and anonymous as the cover suggests.

The first chapter where Patience meets Thomas is extremely promising but they don't have any more sparks. She is a bit odd. He likes her. He takes her on a picnic. What else happens? One of the ladies is bitter. The villain is someone who is rude to the heroine.

Don't bother with this. Just reread Mallory's classics.

[Dina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars (rounded down to 3 stars because I didn't care about the mystery part of the story)

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable, quick read, but it didn't really wow me. Mallory usually has a very distinctive style to her writing, so I was surprised by how anonymous this one seemed. It was pleasant, but rather bland, and was missing that spark that I'm used to feeling with her.

I thought Patience's overactive imagination and her inability to keep her foot out of her mouth in social situations was fun. She felt a bit silly at times, but I enjoyed her. The same goes for the hero, Thomas. I think the title of the book is completely out of place though. The hero is far, far from wicked. He's a regular, nice guy who is very easy to like.

There were a lot of red herrings thrown around and it left the final reveal of the villain feeling a bit underwhelming. All that build up and that was it? It was a little disappointing.

I thought the interactions between Patience and Thomas were cute. I liked when they'd have breakfast together and he'd relax and open up. It was amusing how he'd act grumpy and cold again and sweep out of the room when someone else joined them. Mustn't let them know he's a nice guy, after all. ;)

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and light read. Had some laugh out loud moments with Patience and her lack of. Thomas did a good job of playing the straight role to her comical shtick. She was a antiquarian with the plain sweet face and wild hair and don't forget the glasses.

Ms. P was eager to take on the assignment for her dad of cataloging some antiques that are heading to the museum. She has been a failure in society, as when she gets nervous things just tend to fly out of her mouth.

Once she gets to Lord Blackfield's house however, there is more to catch a lady's eye than just antiques. Thomas has some issues of his own regarding antiquarians. But P soon has him reconsidering his opinions.

You throw in a potential monster, possible french spies and a little love into the mix then things get tangled in a hurry.

[CJ - It's only a Paper Moon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I really enjoyed the characters and the banter between them. Patience is intelligent and clever but can be a bit of a nosy body as well as someone who doesn't always think before she speaks. However, she isn't too extreme and in that way she doesn't become a caricature. Instead, she is like that warm sweet friend that you have who is a little ditzy and sometimes too generous but one that you love to bits anyway.

Thomas, well I suppose he could've been a little more 'tortured' because that part about his sister came a little late in the game. Again, he was not a caricature of the roguish man who wants to tempt the little sheep just because he can, but then again, he also wasn't that dimensional.

All in all, it was a fun, interesting read that could've been a bit more developed both character and plot wise. If you own a copy or find it in your hands I'd read it but it's not something you need to go out of your way for.

[Leonie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastic premise - accidentally scandalous bluestocking retires to country house to catalogue antiquities but gets embroiled in pre-Napoleonic wars shenanigans. But… having really enjoyed the start, it then went way too slapstick comedy for me, and her naivety just felt like idiocy.

I’ve also started and DNFd the 2nd two Secrets books. Maybe I’ve read the Mallorys that are for me. Very sad if it is so.

[Miriamgreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

very very entertaining, always with antiques, science, mystery and fog, a great escape from current reality
which of course is only achieved by non-stop reading of anything with a HEA
definite reread
done with a much appreciated tongue in cheek humor
should be more of these

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed. The setting reminded me a bit of beauty and the beast. I wish there was a second book!

[Jen B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weirdly cheerful with an awesome series of whodunnit reveals. Whimsical and fun.

[LadyAileen]

Pubblicato anche in italiano con il titolo: I segreti del Visconte

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good romance novel! Loved the whole story, loved the characters, and felt their chemistry. I expected something to come of her glasses and was saddened they seemed forgotten. Lol!

[Lover of Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patience has come to Blackfield Castle, to catalogue Viscount Blackfield's antique collect. As daughter of a man that is obsessed with Antiquities, she has learned much. So along with her cousin, they head to Blackfield's home. When Patience first arrives, she is surprised by the current state of things. There is odd noises all hours of the day and night, some of the maids acting as if any object will attack them at will, and when she first meets the Viscount, she believes him to be a vampire. However, she knows that her mind is just playing tricks on her, even if he is arrogant and brooding enough to be one. When things start to really get interesting she decides to start to investigate the strange occurrences. Thomas, senses that there is something strange about Patience. He suspects one of her party to be a french spy, trying to discover what he has managed to keep hidden so far. But when he finds her snooping around his castle, he thinks she is the spy, and despite the passion he feels for her...he will set out to prove her guilt and betrayal. Until love gets in the way...Even though The Viscount's Wicked Ways, was a very enjoyable read, I felt like there was something lacking. It seemed like there were so many great qualities about the story, but it didn't fall into place very well. I really liked the playful romance that develops between Patience and Thomas. However I didn't feel the normal spark that I usually find in Mallory's books. There was a strong plot that is put into the story, however there wasn't a smooth flow in the story. I really had very high expectations for this one, especially after reading the blurb and looking at the cover, I expected a remarkable read that kept my attention all through the story. However I found myself putting it down quite a few times, because I didn't really get fully into the story. Although there were a few aspects of the story that I did enjoy. First is I did like the story line, I always love a good espionage romance, and even though this one seemed a bit off, it was still fun to see how it turns out. I did like the imagination that the author uses in the book. Overall a enjoyable read, but not a fantastic one. One to relax into, but not one to stun the reader into falling in love with it. The Viscount let go of her and leaned negligently against the door frame. "And why would I do that? Of what do I need to take heed?" He leaned forward, his lips inches away from hers. "This is my domain, and I can take what I want..."

[Elis Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thomas Ashe, Viscount Blackford, is a busy man with a lot of secrets, and somebody’s trying to ferret them out. Somebody connected with France—and it’s not a good time to be connected with France with that annoying little man strutting around making himself emperor of this and king of that.



Thomas suspects Patience Harrington, who has been appointed (her father’s recommendation) to visit the Blackford estate and catalogue and pack a collection of antiquarian wonders destined for a museum in London. Seems her mum was French and she speaks French. Two strikes. Now he just has to prove it.

He'll seduce her! Because when her toes are curling, she'll totally spill the beans.



Thing is, Patience hasn’t any beans to spill, despite her unfairly negative reputation (it isn’t her fault that the old guy who wanted to show her his antiquities had an interesting definition of the term—or that a bunch of nosy old tabbies “just happened” to enter the room just as Patience got an eyeful).



Unfortunately, Patience is also curious. She wants to know why there are so many crashes and booms and groans coming out of the buildings she’s not supposed to visit, and why the servants whisper about monsters—and why the handsome viscount keeps having these clandestine meetings. So, well, she is kinda spying, but only in the “curiosity killed the cat” way.

Also unfortunately, someone else is spying in the “killer of curious cats” way.

This is a decent read, but not one of Mallory’s best. 3.5 stars.

[Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Jane Eyre/Noranger Abbey (esque) both of which I love. However, this book falls a little flat which was upsetting after completely falling in love with the first book of Mallory's that I read. I enjoy riciulous heroins with brains and wit but there is a line that has been crossed with the character of Patience. She enters into the pathetically ridiculous with her imagination with the strong belief of monsters and even thinking Thomas a vampire when she first sees him. Brains and cleverness just didn't make up for this constant habit of of her's. If it hadn't beens so constant I might have been able to forgive the level of ridiculousness that she displays. I also don't see much of a development between the characters. They like eachother and fall in love with a few sparring of words in between and few barely deep conversations. I didn't get love or romance between them, nothing but friendship really as there was no real development between them toward romance. It was more like friends with benefits. Other characters are also bland, even ones that I felt shouldn't have been. The story itself had the makings of a great story but it didn't flow all that well for me and at times it was slightly boring, yet, I found it enjoyable. I just felt it could've been better. It might have done better to take out some of the description involved. I like being abel to picture the scenery but giving the amount of description on 'objects' that this books does more than borders on the annoying and unneeded. Then the ending felt so rushed that it was less than exciting or intersting.
A decent book that could've been better.

[StrangeBedfellows · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read by Anne Mallory, and I'm really enjoying this author. She creates appealing, believable characters that have tangible chemistry with each other. Patience Harrington, heroine of this particular novel, is easy to relate with. She's intelligent, kind, and likable, but not perfectly or unrealistically so. Readers can find pieces of themselves within this character, lending to a more involved reading experience. As for Patience's romance with the mysterious, mercurial Viscount Blackfield, it's an entertaining love story from their first meeting to their happily-ever-after. The progress of them falling into hate, then lust, then friendship, then love is well-written and credible. The sparks between these two practically come off the page.

Another thing I'm enjoying about Mallory's books are the topical themes she builds into the stories. In this book, Patience is an antiquarian hired to catalog an extensive collection of antiques and artifacts. She's also an imaginative bookworm caught up in the mystery at Blackfield Castle. Throughout this book are references to history, mythology, legends, and art -- always maintaining the original premise of the story and a major element of Patience's character. I found this thematic flair also kept me in the story, wrapped up in Patience's fanciful thoughts and the general Gothic mystery of it all. More than anything else, it's this quality that makes Mallory's books stand out to me as something different from every other historical romance I've come across.

[Karen Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decided to read this book because I like the author. Thus far, I've enjoyed all I've read of her works. I suppose it was time I read one I don't care for. It's not that I did not like it, but I did not care for it either.

It wasn't that it's bad. More like I did not find it particularly captivating and it strikes me more as completely forgettable. The main characters were nice enough; with Thomas having an air of mystery and Patience being a very intelligent lady, albeit naive. Both do their best to talk things out instead of allowing stupid misunderstandings to occur.

Lastly, I have a tendency to re-read my favorite books especially after I've read one I don't care for. I did so after reading this one.

[Sabi · Rating 1 out of 5]

It starts very promising - mysterious things happen, you think there's going to be at least one Frankenstein monster and maybe one or two vampires. There are secrets, spies, mazes, a lot of historical artifacts, some mummies and then... the author seems to have lost the interest in this plot. The mystery is solved while the heroine is unconcious or running towards the actual happenings.

If you enjoy a romantic book without a logical plot - go for this one! The third book I read by Anne Mallory and it'll probably be my last!

[Edwina " I LoveBooks" "Deb" · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Liked this book a lot better than the other 4 books I have read by Ms. Mallory. This one made sense and connected all of the characters in the story line. In her other books she dropped the story line and was quite repetitive in what she wrote thru out the books, But she got it right with the Viscounts Wicket Ways! Interesting story of inventions being made laboratories and spy's trying to steal new inventions being developed put that with romance and you get a very good story to read. Finally for me she has redeemed herself!

[LemontreeLime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing more frustrating than a romance novel that could have been phenomenal...and ...almost... makes it there... This has so many great elements going for it, except the misleading cover. Totally could be redone, and please send it further into the steampunk/pseudogothic/wry museum-y science sendup theme. And give the character of Caroline some depth and take her out of the cardboard backdrop? I have no opinion on the sex scenes, i skimmed them until coherent dialogue was resumed.

[penelopewanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree a bit with Katyana's review below - on the whole it was good and a very fun read, but the ending was so quick, suffering from the rather disturbing mood shifts the hero portrays (which I found a bit irritating). Not quite on a par with other books I've enjoyed by this author.

[Evelyn Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by tis author it was a loaner from a co-woker. real enjoy the whole story line it was great. The story had me thinking all kind of ending for the spies. However, I was wrong about them, I like that.

[Carrie Harlick · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my second Anne Mallory book i've read and i don't think i will be reading a third. Storyline not very exciting and not enough "bow chica wow wow" going on .... well not fantastic scenes anyway.

[Sunem · Rating 2 out of 5]

want to read

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Regency

[Booklover, Indianapolis · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay...

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the banter between the characters and the underlying mystery that is happily present in all of Anne Mallory's books that I've read.

[Angi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was quite nice, but you could easily understand what was secretly going on which took away the secrecy