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  • Lord Despair

  • Beastly Lords, Book 1
  • By: Sydney Jane Baily
  • Narrated by: Tim Campbell
  • Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (39 ratings)

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Lord Despair cover art

Lord Despair

By: Sydney Jane Baily
Narrated by: Tim Campbell
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Summary

From USA Today best-selling author Sydney Jane Baily

From the lush English countryside to the glittering society of Victorian London, and the shabbier side of its gambling hells, Lord Despair thought he'd left the worst behind in the Burmese jungle. He was wrong.

Lord Simon Devere returns from the Burmese War haunted by the vivid memory of his slain cousin and powerless to know reality from dreams. Unable to sleep lest he awaken in the cell of his nightmares, he sits in the dark, incapable of believing he is truly home - and safe - in England.

Jenny Blackwood is determined not to let her mother and sisters succumb to an unkind fate. With a head for numbers, she becomes the skilled bookkeeper "Mr. Cavendish". One unexpected client is the nobleman cruelly named by gossips as Lord Despair.

With the estate's coffers mysteriously dwindling, Jenny goes where others fear to tread: into the darkened room of the unstable earl. Encouraged by her tenacity, Simon believes he can become the man he once was. However, as friendship quickly sparks into passion, they discover the greatest danger lies ahead of them, and the biggest threat to Jenny may be Lord Despair himself.

©2018 Sydney Jane Baily (P)2019 Tantor

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What listeners say about Lord Despair

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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

A very unusual love story

A well written story set in the Victorian era and focusing on the often unseen, and at the time unacknowledged, damage that war and captivity has on fighting men. A sensitive portrayal of the hero’s mental state and ultimate recovery set in a less than traditional romance. I enjoyed this and listened to it over the space of just two days. Recommended.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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A wonderful story with an important theme

Great book. I love how the author portrayed the main characters, their courtship and subsequent marriage. The presence of something so rarely discussed as PTSD from war and in this case captivity is a great addition to the story, both as a theme but also as an important subject to reflect over and discuss. The way the characters met this challenge was admirable and yes, sometimes problematic, but it brought great substance to the plot and made the story real and relatable. Tim did a great narration of the book and I like how he brings you right into the British aristocracy with his voice. He’s great at distinguishing between male and female characters and even though I’m partial to duets he leaves nothing wanting.

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Well worth a read/listen

I enjoyed this book very much great story with a fantastic narrator. I will be looking for more books from this author as the characters really came to life and the story was well thought out.

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An Amazing listen with excellent Narration.

Honestly very impressed at the story line and the quality of Narration, and the very likeable characters. 10/10.

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Really enjoyed this book 🙂

Just about to listen to the second book in this series so thought I would leave a review for the 1st. A very enjoyable book well worth the listen!!

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An enjoyable, multi layered story.

I throughly enjoyed this multi layer regency romance story. I am new to this author but will definately purchase more of her work. The male Narrator did a fabulous job too.

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fantastic

Sydney Jane Bailey is a fabulous writer of historical romances. I cannot wait for more.

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Great story

I liked the story with its twists and turns. Plus Tim Campbell’s performance was again excellent. That man’s skill of portraying different characters is truly impressive.

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Excellent

This book had a very different plot to most I listen to. It was the normal man meets woman and you know they are going to end up together but with a much deeper and darker story, showing what affects the ravages of war can do to a person. There was also the interesting sub plot of the missing monies, an all round good listen.

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Excellent

I am so happy to have discovered this author. Great characterisation and plot. Wonderful narrator too.

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