What do you think?
Rate this book
Wickham’s Bargain Baby: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Romance
Mr. Darcy needs a wife, and Elizabeth Bennet is the only woman desperate enough to say yes.
When Lady Amelia Apethorpe, avowed spinster and notorious novelist, dies in a carriage accident, she leaves her two-year-old son and her scandalous manuscripts to her good friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Elizabeth’s father is dying, the entail looms, and Longbourn’s roof leaks waterfalls. She marries Darcy to save her family, expecting duty and no devotion.
Instead, she loses her heart to a solemn little boy who calls her “Lizba,” builds walls instead of towers, and befriends snails. Worse still, she falls in love with the man who bought her.
Darcy is nothing like the proud gentleman she once judged. He reads poetry by firelight, remembers her favorite dessert, and looks at her as though she can never belong to him.
One night, he confesses, his voice breaking. “Whatever else—I love you.”
And then he does not come to her bed.
But Elizabeth has secrets, too. A courtship in Cheapside she has never confessed. A stolen kiss. And a signet ring she keeps hidden, initialed with the letters, G.W.
The truth is coming—in the form of Lady Amelia’s brother, a curious rector’s daughter, Georgiana’s correspondence with Wickham, and Elizabeth’s own investigations.
And when it arrives, the marriage that was supposed to be convenient becomes anything but.
---
Marriage of convenience • Adorable toddler with attitude • Snails with names • One-eared wooden horse • Vulnerable brooding Darcy • Forced proximity • Manuscripts and mysteries • Dual secrets detonated • Found family • Slow-burn emotional intensity • Angst and yearning • HEA guaranteed
Clean Regency romance. 123,000 words.
When Lady Amelia Apethorpe, avowed spinster and notorious novelist, dies in a carriage accident, she leaves her two-year-old son and her scandalous manuscripts to her good friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Elizabeth’s father is dying, the entail looms, and Longbourn’s roof leaks waterfalls. She marries Darcy to save her family, expecting duty and no devotion.
Instead, she loses her heart to a solemn little boy who calls her “Lizba,” builds walls instead of towers, and befriends snails. Worse still, she falls in love with the man who bought her.
Darcy is nothing like the proud gentleman she once judged. He reads poetry by firelight, remembers her favorite dessert, and looks at her as though she can never belong to him.
One night, he confesses, his voice breaking. “Whatever else—I love you.”
And then he does not come to her bed.
But Elizabeth has secrets, too. A courtship in Cheapside she has never confessed. A stolen kiss. And a signet ring she keeps hidden, initialed with the letters, G.W.
The truth is coming—in the form of Lady Amelia’s brother, a curious rector’s daughter, Georgiana’s correspondence with Wickham, and Elizabeth’s own investigations.
And when it arrives, the marriage that was supposed to be convenient becomes anything but.
---
Marriage of convenience • Adorable toddler with attitude • Snails with names • One-eared wooden horse • Vulnerable brooding Darcy • Forced proximity • Manuscripts and mysteries • Dual secrets detonated • Found family • Slow-burn emotional intensity • Angst and yearning • HEA guaranteed
Clean Regency romance. 123,000 words.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 25, 2026
About the author
Rachelle Ayala
342 books1,236 followersRachelle Ayala is an award-winning USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. She writes emotionally challenging stories but believes in the power of love and hope.
Her book, Knowing Vera, won the 2015 Angie Ovation Award, and A Father for Christmas garnered a 2015 Readers' Favorite Gold Award. Christmas Stray was awarded the 2016 Readers' Favorite Gold Award and A Pet for Christmas had an Honorable Mention. In 2017, her book about a single mother with an autistic son, Playing for the Save, won the 2017 Readers' Favorite Gold Award for Realistic Fiction.
Sign up for her NEWSLETTER to get a FREE surprise book and her latest book news! https://www.rachelleayala.net/newsletter
Visit her Reader's Guide at http://rachelleayala.net/books/ or contact her at http://smarturl.it/ContactRachelle
Join her STREET TEAM https://www.facebook.com/groups/ClubR...
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/rachelleayala
FB Fan page https://www.facebook.com/rachelleayal...
Twitter http://twitter.com/AyalaRachelle
She is also a writing teacher and founder of the Romance In A Month writing community. She lives in California with her husband and has three children and two birds.
For an updated, printable booklist:
https://www.scribd.com/document/34213...
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Broken Build
Hidden Under Her Heart
Knowing Vera
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Taming Romeo
Claiming Carlos
Whole Latte Love
The Remingtons: Leap, Laugh, Love
The Remingtons: Blush of Love
Bad Boys for Hire: Ryker
Bad Boys for Hire: Ken
Bad Boys for Hire: Nick
Laguna Beach: Lucky in Laguna
Sapphire Falls: Going Haywire
Sapphire Falls: Going Toe to Mistletoe
Sapphire Falls: Going Hearts Over Heels
SPORTS ROMANCE
Played by Love
Playing the Rookie
Playing Without Rules
Roaring Hot!
Intercepted by Love
Playing Catch
Playing for the Save
SWEET ROMANCE
Christmas Stray
A Father for Christmas
A Pet for Christmas
A Wedding for Christmas
Christmas Lovebirds
Valentine Hound Dog
Spring Fling Kitty
Blue Chow Christmas
Valentine Wedding Hound
HOLIDAY ROMANCE
Christmas Flirt
Santa's Pet
Deck the Hearts
Her Christmas Chance
Sapphire Falls: Going Toe to Mistletoe
Bad Boys for Hire: Nick
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Michal's Window
NON-FICTION
Your Daily Bible Verse
Romance In A Month
366 Ways to Know Your Character
Love Stories: Writing a Romance Novella
Her book, Knowing Vera, won the 2015 Angie Ovation Award, and A Father for Christmas garnered a 2015 Readers' Favorite Gold Award. Christmas Stray was awarded the 2016 Readers' Favorite Gold Award and A Pet for Christmas had an Honorable Mention. In 2017, her book about a single mother with an autistic son, Playing for the Save, won the 2017 Readers' Favorite Gold Award for Realistic Fiction.
Sign up for her NEWSLETTER to get a FREE surprise book and her latest book news! https://www.rachelleayala.net/newsletter
Visit her Reader's Guide at http://rachelleayala.net/books/ or contact her at http://smarturl.it/ContactRachelle
Join her STREET TEAM https://www.facebook.com/groups/ClubR...
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/rachelleayala
FB Fan page https://www.facebook.com/rachelleayal...
Twitter http://twitter.com/AyalaRachelle
She is also a writing teacher and founder of the Romance In A Month writing community. She lives in California with her husband and has three children and two birds.
For an updated, printable booklist:
https://www.scribd.com/document/34213...
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Broken Build
Hidden Under Her Heart
Knowing Vera
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Taming Romeo
Claiming Carlos
Whole Latte Love
The Remingtons: Leap, Laugh, Love
The Remingtons: Blush of Love
Bad Boys for Hire: Ryker
Bad Boys for Hire: Ken
Bad Boys for Hire: Nick
Laguna Beach: Lucky in Laguna
Sapphire Falls: Going Haywire
Sapphire Falls: Going Toe to Mistletoe
Sapphire Falls: Going Hearts Over Heels
SPORTS ROMANCE
Played by Love
Playing the Rookie
Playing Without Rules
Roaring Hot!
Intercepted by Love
Playing Catch
Playing for the Save
SWEET ROMANCE
Christmas Stray
A Father for Christmas
A Pet for Christmas
A Wedding for Christmas
Christmas Lovebirds
Valentine Hound Dog
Spring Fling Kitty
Blue Chow Christmas
Valentine Wedding Hound
HOLIDAY ROMANCE
Christmas Flirt
Santa's Pet
Deck the Hearts
Her Christmas Chance
Sapphire Falls: Going Toe to Mistletoe
Bad Boys for Hire: Nick
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Michal's Window
NON-FICTION
Your Daily Bible Verse
Romance In A Month
366 Ways to Know Your Character
Love Stories: Writing a Romance Novella
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 30, 2026
Wickham's Bargain Baby is another wonderful, Pride and Prejudice adaptation. I really enjoy these books that take place after Elizabeth and Darcy's marriage. Married to save her family, Elizabeth discovers that little is what she expected. She falls in love with Darcy's ward, Thomas. I love how this little boy brings Lizba and Darcy together in more than the planned marriage of convenience. Wickham is his usual conniving, deceitful stuff. I love how Elizabeth and Darcy finally defeat him! I was mesmerized by this delightful tale and could not put the book down!
August 5, 2026
oh my, so good
This book starts with Mr. Bennets death eminent. Suddenly, Darcy arrives and proposes to ease all their burdens if Elizabeth will marry him and become a mother to his ward. A marriage of convenience with all the benefits going toward Elizabeth. I would call this no angst, though there are spots where you may bite your nails a little. And other spots where you swoon. Wickham is evil in a very different way and gets his due in the end, but not how you expect. This is do well written and so captivating you will scarcely be able to put it down.
This book starts with Mr. Bennets death eminent. Suddenly, Darcy arrives and proposes to ease all their burdens if Elizabeth will marry him and become a mother to his ward. A marriage of convenience with all the benefits going toward Elizabeth. I would call this no angst, though there are spots where you may bite your nails a little. And other spots where you swoon. Wickham is evil in a very different way and gets his due in the end, but not how you expect. This is do well written and so captivating you will scarcely be able to put it down.
September 8, 2026
Good, but...
I enjoyed that's book on the whole, but there were too many characters that made little sense. Georgiana's behavior was over the top. Prue was a gossip, yet Elizabeth told her important family information. Prue also seemed to only hold her tongue if she angered someone. She had little too no true concern for the feelings of others. Elizabeth not calling her out for this was just one of the many ways Elizabeth was out of character. The emotional aspects of the book were good, but there were also portions of the plot the were not explained or made little sense. Wickham's mom and Elizabeth's maid's former employer being of no concern are two examples. Also, there were too many females were traipsing around without chaperones and servants without much deference and telling all the household news without penalty. Name continuity was also an issue. Lady Fenwick became Lady Renwick. People stated names were not to be mentioned, and then they frequently were. Cleaning up these areas would make for such a better story, and it would new more appropriate for the time period--especially since Darcy wouldn't have had a button-up shirt in 1812.
I enjoyed that's book on the whole, but there were too many characters that made little sense. Georgiana's behavior was over the top. Prue was a gossip, yet Elizabeth told her important family information. Prue also seemed to only hold her tongue if she angered someone. She had little too no true concern for the feelings of others. Elizabeth not calling her out for this was just one of the many ways Elizabeth was out of character. The emotional aspects of the book were good, but there were also portions of the plot the were not explained or made little sense. Wickham's mom and Elizabeth's maid's former employer being of no concern are two examples. Also, there were too many females were traipsing around without chaperones and servants without much deference and telling all the household news without penalty. Name continuity was also an issue. Lady Fenwick became Lady Renwick. People stated names were not to be mentioned, and then they frequently were. Cleaning up these areas would make for such a better story, and it would new more appropriate for the time period--especially since Darcy wouldn't have had a button-up shirt in 1812.
August 12, 2026
Little Thomas is so cute and I love how his personality and attitude bring Darcy and Elizabeth closer together. Wickham is such a coniving villain and I was so happy to see him get beat by the dynamic duo. This was a great joy to read.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 25, 2026
imperfect world
It was interesting to see this variation unfold - where many secrets are kept to maintain a social Facade. Overall the story was enjoyable with a satisfying HEA and epilogue sharing future derails about various characters.
It was interesting to see this variation unfold - where many secrets are kept to maintain a social Facade. Overall the story was enjoyable with a satisfying HEA and epilogue sharing future derails about various characters.
August 31, 2026
Couldn’t Put It Down!
I’m glad this weekend was rainy because I couldn’t put this book down!! I enjoyed the premise and the mystery surrounding the forced marriage. This was well written and engaging story that drew me I from the start.
I’m glad this weekend was rainy because I couldn’t put this book down!! I enjoyed the premise and the mystery surrounding the forced marriage. This was well written and engaging story that drew me I from the start.
September 4, 2026
This is one of my favorites! It starts out as a bargain between Darcy and the Bennetts, and before you know it- there are secrets to be uncovered. I loved seeing the tender side of Darcy. All in all a great read!
September 28, 2026
love is a many splendid thing
I throughly enjoyed this novel. I was filled with mystery laughter and love
This variation was a delight to read and I am grateful to have the opportunity to be part of the admirers
Mary Levine
I throughly enjoyed this novel. I was filled with mystery laughter and love
This variation was a delight to read and I am grateful to have the opportunity to be part of the admirers
Mary Levine
August 11, 2026
Mr Darcy might need a wife for his little boy and Elizabeth needs help. Will this marriage remain forever a vow of convenience or turn into real love. Amazing as always.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews