Wizard of Most Wicked Ways is another enchanting installment in Charlie N. Holmberg’s Whimbrel House series, blending her signature wit, whimsy, and fast-paced storytelling into a magical adventure filled with high stakes and delightful character dynamics.

Change is sweeping through Whimbrel House as Merritt and Hulda settle into family life, and Owein, determined to gain more control over his own fate, navigates a marriage contract with the powerful Lady Cora. But peace is short-lived when the notorious wizard Silas Hogwood—thought dead for five years—returns, more unhinged and vengeful than ever. As Queen Victoria’s League of Magicians enters the fray, and Owein finds himself torn between obligations, newfound alliances, and dangerous secrets, the battle for Whimbrel House escalates into an all-consuming fight for survival.

Holmberg once again masterfully balances humor, heart, and high stakes. Owein’s character development remains a highlight as he grapples with self-doubt, power, and what it means to truly protect those he loves. The return of familiar faces from previous books adds to the rich, interconnected worldbuilding, making longtime fans feel right at home. The romance, while subtle, adds emotional depth, and the magical intrigue keeps the pages turning.

Narrators Graham Halstead, Amanda Leigh Cobb and Nicholas Boulton all did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life in this audiobook.
and coupled with Holmberg's engaging prose, charming cast of characters, and ever-expanding magical lore, Wizard of Most Wicked Ways is another strong addition to the series. It’s a must-read for fans who have been following the Whimbrel House adventures and an exciting continuation of Holmberg’s ever-enchanting storytelling.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

AHHH! I love the way Charlie N. Holmberg always transport me to an amazing, enchanted world. One of the things I enjoy about her books is that even though I picked up this story mid-series, I was fully immersed & easily figured out what’s going on by a few chapters. Despite not reading the previous books, I found Wizard of Most Wicked Ways to be thoroughly addictive & magical.

In 1851, on Blaugdone Island off the coast of Rhode Island, Owein’s life is changing. As he reads Frankenstein & exchanges correspondence with his betrothed in England, he finds himself torn between the woman he only met once years ago & his bewitching shapeshifting friend Fallon. As he struggles with his feelings, a new problem arises that threatens him & his family.

Silas Hogwood, the greatest wizard of the millennium, is back after being dead for five years & he’s out for vengeance. Unfortunately, the body he inhabits is driving him mad. Fearing he’s not strong enough to defeat the powerful wizard, Owein asks his wealthy betrothed for help. Queen Victoria gets involved & dispatches her League of Magicians, including her personal necromancer to the island to help Owein defeat Silas once & for all.

I loved Owein’s coming of age story! Though he’s technically 227 years old, he’s physically & mentally like an 18 year old boy. He’s charming, honorable, & tries to do the right thing even when it’s difficult. His relationship with Fallon is charged with chemistry & I appreciated his struggle to be loyal to his betrothal when he & Fallon have such a deep friendship. Fallon’s a free spirited, shape shifting Druid who doesn’t understand Owein’s struggle. She loves Owein & definitely tempts him at every turn.

The magical system in this story is so unique. I was enthralled by its explanation & the methods used to defeat Silas. Silas’s a cunning enemy & it was thrilling to read from his POV. There’s danger at every turn & sensitive readers should be aware there’s death & some grotesque descriptions.

I listened to the audiobook & loved listening to all the various points of view. Each narrator brought a unique, brilliant quality to the narration which made it so easy to listen to. I particularly enjoyed listening to Owein’s & Silas’ narrators, but all of them were fantastic.

Those familiar with the series will enjoy catching up with Merritt & Hulda as they help Owein. Enjoyed this closed door, magical adventure! Can’t wait for the next book. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author but also purchased a copy through Kindle Unlimited & listened to the audiobook version. All opinions are completely my own & voluntarily provided.

Content: There is one swimming scene where one character is naked & kisses another character, but nothing happens beyond kissing. Also some innuendo.

Me🤝The Whimbrel House series

This is the 4th book in the Whimbrel House series & by far my favorite (so far)!! There is one book left in the series & I already cannot wait for it!

I don’t want to give anything away for people who haven’t read the first 3 books, so I’ll leave this review brief! The character development was chef’s kiss😘🤌 and the storyline was 10/10!!!

If you haven’t read this series yet, I HIGHLY recommend!! It’s such a wholesome storyline! It has magic, romance, historical fiction, a bit of mystery, and so much more!

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the eAudiobook ARC! The fourth book in the Whimbrel House series, Wizard of Most Wiked Ways follows Owein as he matures and learns in preparation for his marriage to Lady Cora across the sea. Though he is fond of their letters and friendship, he questions the "rightness" of them marrying (especially as he finds himself distracted by the beautiful shape-shifter, Fallon). But there's more threatening Owein's peace than just the two women in his life, Silas Hogwood is back and he is threatening everything Owein holds dear. Can the inhabitants of Whimbrel House band together and defeat Silas once and for all? More importantly, will everyone be able to survive the battle? Graham Halstead, Amanda Leigh Cobb, and Nicholas Boulton return to Whimbrel series with fantastic turns once again.

This is the fourth book in the Whimbrel House series and I do think the series needs to be read in order! This series is a really creative story full of a magical house with personality and heartwarming characters. I would include this in the cozy fantasy category. Like the rest of the books in this series the audiobook was well done and a great way to go! The narrators capture the characters really well.

I really liked that this story was set several years after the previous book and so we could see some of the characters having new experiences in their new stage of life. I’m being vague to avoid spoilers but it was great to see the characters the same at their core while growing and expanding for new experiences.

It continues to be a creative and intriguing world with characters you want to root for! This installment had a strong and satisfying ending but there will also be one more book to come in the series and I am excited to see where things go!

The fourth venture to the shores of Whimbrel House is a spellbinding adventure which finds the cast of familiar characters the target of an old foe. How can they overcome a seemingly insurmountable magic? The journey is a thrilling, heart-wrenching story that adds a satisfying addition to the world of Whimbrel House. If you’re looking for mystery and magic, the thrill of danger and the warmth of home, I couldn’t recommend this enough.

This book. What can I really say outside of “I loved it”? As the book was ending, I felt like I was saying goodbye to my family.
The tension was present from like chapter 2 and built so well throughout the book. I was on the edge of my seat.
The triangle between Fallon, Owein, and Cora was so interesting and I never knew where he was going to land with either of them. I was so satisfied with the ending.
Please read this series. It’s so good.

3.5 rounded to 4 out of 5 stars.

The audio narration was great, as usual. I had no problems differentiating between characters within the story and they all added excellent emotional cadence to the story.

The 4th installment of The Whimbrel House takes place about 4 years after the completion of book 3.
Everyone on the island is married with children besides Owein, who has been having a secret friendship for 4 years with a certain Druid from Ireland.

It was interesting to see how much the characters changed over the years in-between the books, and I wouldn't say all of them were for the better. This story focused on Owein with snippets of the life between Merritt and Hulda, with and open ending I will be curious how Holmberg will end the series in book 5.

Overall I still recommend this series to Charlie fans, especially those who loved her Spellbreaker duology, and Paper Magician series.

Enchanting and unpredictable!

Another wonderful addition to the Wimbrel House series! I loved finally getting the closure we need with the villain of the series, while it leaves things wide open for the next book. The author masterfully crafts a magical world brimming with endless possibilities, keeping me breathless as the story unfolds, never knowing what twists await.

I've loved watching the characters grow throughout the series, especially seeing Merritt and Hulda making appearances with their family. Being able to learn more about each of their pasts makes them even more endearing, deepening my obsession with following along on their journeys.

My heart was literally in my throat for the final few chapters of this book, and I'm so glad I was listening to the audiobook as I couldn't have seen the pages through my tears. I'm nervous and excited for the next book, but looking forward to seeing how things unfold!

Wizard of Most Wicked Ways by Charlie N. Holmberg offers an exciting and satisfying continuation of a magical world filled with rich characters and intricate storylines. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and the character developments, especially the way the relationships unfolded and the story concluded.

One of the standout elements was seeing Merrit and Hulda step into parenthood. It was a touching moment, and watching their growth as parents brought a delightful layer of depth to their already compelling characters. The dynamic between them continued to be engaging, and the addition of this new chapter in their lives felt like a natural progression that added emotional weight to the story.

However, I did find myself a bit disappointed with Hulda’s character in this particular book. As much as I admired her strength and abilities, I felt that she didn’t fully tap into that fierce, protective "mama bear" instinct that would’ve been the perfect response to certain challenges. Given the circumstances she faced, I was hoping to see a bit more of that fierce, maternal drive in her, which felt somewhat lacking.

Overall, the story had a satisfying conclusion. Wizard of Most Wicked Ways is an engaging and captivating read, with plenty of charm and action, and I highly recommend it to fans of Holmberg's work and anyone looking for an intriguing fantasy adventure with lovable characters.

This has been such a fun, cozy fantasy series to read over the years. Since this is the fourth book in the series I'm going to be a bit vague as to not give anything away.

The first book, Keeper of Enchanted Rooms, has such a surprising dark twist to it. I absolutely love that story. I never knew if I should laugh or be slightly disturbed, but in the best way!

I have loved following these characters and being a part of their growing family. It's so fun to see how each character evolves. I appreciated the time gap from the 3rd book to the 4th which allowed us to see a nearly grown Owein.

I have enjoyed each book in the series and was so happily surprised when this one found its way back to the roots of the first book. I love the tie-ins to the original storyline and I can't wait to see where Holmberg takes us!

This one left me excited for more!

READ IF YOU LIKE:
🧙‍♂️ Cozy Fantasy
🧙‍♂️ Dark Twists
🧙‍♂️ Magic for Good and Evil
🧙‍♂️ Arranged Marriage
🧙‍♂️ Forbidden Romance
🧙‍♂️ Historical Fantasy Romance
🧙‍♂️ Shape Shifters
🧙‍♂️ Love Triangle

My thanks for the audio ARC goes to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Spice Level: Anything mentioned is subtle
Language: Seemed pretty clean
Readability: This series really needs to be read in order for the best experience.
Audio: I immensely enjoyed the voices used

I adored dipping into this world again with WIZARD OF MOST WICKED WAYS.

So, why do I love it?

Historical setting, spanning the Atlantic from England to America

Unique but understandable magic!

Sticky family ties

Druids!

Letters for communication

Danger is imminent

Lovable and layered characters

I highly recommend the entire series. It is so much fun, and handling a large cast while focusing on specific people is masterfully handled.

Happy reading!

Absolutely loved this one!! So so good! Kept me hooked the whole time. Right from the beginning I was invested and on edge.

I want to make sure to highlight that this is Book #4 in a series about Whimbrel House. The reason I feel it is important, is because I do not feel you can jump into this series at this point and truly know what is going on. I highly recommend reading the others before picking this one up.

With each installment of Whimbrel House, I feel we focus on different characters a bit more. In book #1, it was more about Merritt but also his meeting Hulda. The Second Book hinges heavily on Hulda with Merritt taking a slight backseat. With books #3 and #4, we explore more about Owein and his life and experiences. Hulda and Merritt are still present but less of the focus than Owein. We also get much more perspective from Silas Hogwood who's mind is clearly fractured, giving a very chaotic narrative each time we enter his sections.

I knew that guy wasn't completely gone. There was just no way after his legacy continued to haunt the other characters. It felt clear we were going to have to face the dark wizard again. The group as well as other forces will come together to try and face Silas once and for all. Owein takes the job of dispatching the dark wizard as his personal task and I think that's one of the things I find bit frustrating. There are a couple other things as well but I suppose I thought an 18 year old (in body, at least) would understand the weight of the world is not his to bear and he needs some adults to actually tell him that. I don't care if he's got the most amount of magic between them all. I also felt the tone of this book was much darker than the first few of the series. I originally picked it up because I love the cozy magic vibes, but this one is not very cozy at all.

That ending wrecked me. I forgot just how much I love these characters and this found family—it remains one of my absolute favorites in any book. Merritt and Owein’s bond is so sweet and heartwarming, and I adored Owein and Fallon together. The quiet comfort and peace they found in each other is exactly what everyone should hope to have in a relationship. And Silas Hogwood? Still one of the most terrifying villains ever. Every encounter with him had me on edge, holding my breath, wondering what nightmare was coming next.

Now, onto the audiobook—phenomenal. Graham Halstead, Amanda Leigh Cobb, and Nicholas Boulton did such an incredible job bringing this world to life. Their inflections, accents, and pacing were perfect, matching the tone of the story flawlessly. The tension, the emotions, the humor—everything landed just right. I truly felt like I was living in the world of Whimbrel House, experiencing every moment alongside the characters.

This book reaffirmed why Charlie N. Holmberg is one of my favorite authors, and I cannot wait for the final installment. If you’re planning to read this, I highly recommend experiencing it on audio!