The Rake Mistake

Erica Ridley

Jun 2021 · Heist Club Book 1 · Erica Ridley

About this ebook

A Regency-set comedic caper featuring a book club of meddling spinsters and an assist by a very good dog.

The closest Miss Philippa York has ever come to adventure is her Thursday afternoon reading circle with her fellow bluestockings of the beau monde. That is, until her bosom friend allows a handsome rake to steal a kiss… and he takes her friend’s jewels instead! 

With the help of the Wild Wynchesters—a uniquely talented family of caper-committing siblings who don’t let “laws” stop them from righting wrongs—Philippa and her club of delightfully bookish spinsters take on the most celebrated rake of the ton.

They’re clever. He’s a cad. To save the day, all they need to pull off is one little heist…

PREQUEL TO: THE PERKS OF LOVING A WALLFLOWER

"Erica Ridley is a delight!"

— Julia Quinn

Ratings and reviews

It was a pure delight to read this latest offering by the author in her Wild Wynchesters series. There was plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, ongoing high jinks, and the endearing wackiness of the Wynchester siblings. Dear Philippa, introduced to us in The Duke Heist, continues to be harassed by her mother for failing to keep the interest of the Duke of Faircliffe who married Chloe Wynchester in the first book. Philippa and the rest of the ladies of the book club have to come up with a plan to retrieve a lost diamond hairpin, as well as a name for their club. I smiled at the suggestions that were offered for a Covert Caper Club, the Heist Club, or the Subterfuge Sisterhood. Lest I forget to mention, as usual, there is a charming romance woven throughout the whole goings-on. Don’t pass on reading this one. I think you’ll like it. I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this work and offer this voluntary review. All opinions stated are my own.

I absolutely hadn’t gotten enough of the Wynchesters at the end of the last book and I was getting desperate during the wait for the next one. I’m delighted to have this opportunity to drop in on them again and to get to know Miss Philippa York just a bit better in advance of her own book. And there’s a lot more going on in the heart of this bookish spinster than I had guessed. Filled with all the hijinks and shenanigans we’ve already come to associate with this wild family, The Rake Mistake has whet my appetite and made me hungry for more. I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author.

I found that this chaotic Regency adventure witty and entertaining. Miss Philippa York lives for her reading circle, although the moniker for the group has not yet been determined as the ladies keep changing their minds. Her overbearing and ambitious mother continually embarrasses and threatens her, making her life a living hell. Fortunately, her connection with the Wild Wynchesters introduces her to not only Great-Aunt Wynchester, but the rest of the bluestockings as well, and they are a force to be reckoned with. In a wild gambit to retrieve stolen jewelry, Philippa refuses to be left behind and together with the entertaining elderly lady, finds herself in situations she never thought to find herself. The adventure comes to a close on a bit of a cliff-hanger and the name of the reading group has still not been decided! I received a copy of this novel as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.

About the author

Erica Ridley is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of witty, feel-good historical romance novels, including the upcoming THE DUKE HEIST, featuring the Wild Wynchesters. Why seduce a duke the normal way, when you can accidentally kidnap one in an elaborately planned heist?

In the 12 Dukes of Christmas series, enjoy witty, heartwarming Regency romps nestled in a picturesque snow-covered village. After all, nothing heats up a winter night quite like finding oneself in the arms of a duke!

Two popular series, the Dukes of War and Rogues to Riches, feature roguish peers and dashing war heroes who find love amongst the splendor and madness of Regency England. 

When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found riding camels in Africa, zip-lining through rainforests in Central America, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest.