Beastly Lords Book One
Lord Despair — From the lush English countryside to the glittering society of Victorian London, Lord Despair thought he’d left the worst behind him in the Burmese jungle. He was wrong!
How can a man embrace his birthright when he cannot leave his bedroom?
Lord Simon Devere returns from the Burmese War, haunted by vivid memories and powerless to know reality from dreams. He sits in the dark, incapable of believing he is truly home — and safe — in England.
How can a clever young lady support her family after her father dies in debt?
Jenny Blackwood is determined not to let her mother and sisters succumb to an unkind fate. Under the pretense of being a male bookkeeper, she soon acquires an unexpected client.
A damaged aristocrat and danger in disguise . . .
With the estate’s coffers mysteriously dwindling, Jenny goes where others fear to tread, into the darkened room of the unstable earl. Even greater peril lies ahead for them both, but the biggest threat to Jenny may be Lord Despair himself!
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“This is one of the best stories I’ve ever read, and I read a lot! It stands out from most others in a very good way. I love the way it is written and I love the main characters and the dialogue. There are some great side characters as well. Jenny is a strong and wise woman. The way she makes Simon heal is wonderful. She is now my favorite heroine. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!”
“Prepare to be pulled into this well written story that captures the essence of a wounded hero and the demons he fights. Lord Simon Devere is in a dark place, literally, when he is unable to sleep due to the nightmares he has since he returned home from the Burmese war. He has what we call today PTSD and can only sit in the dark trying to tell himself he is home in England and needs to take up his responsibilities. Jenny is desperate in her own way, needing to earn a living to help her mother and sisters. Using a man’s name she is a skilled bookkeeper and obtains Simon as a client, the one they call Lord Despair.
As she starts to do the books, she ventures into the dark room of the earl. Thus the story takes off and somehow it seems Jenny might get through to Simon. But can she bring him back to himself?
This is the first book I have read by this author and I was totally enthralled with this book. My favorite trope is the damaged hero, because I always love to see them be redeemed and find their happy ever after. I cannot wait to read more by this author and in this series!!”
“Lord Despair is book one in The Beastly Lords series by Sydney Jane Baily. I have to say that I feel I have discovered a treasure in Baily’s writing. She tackles tough issues and layers her characters with vulnerable depths. I think I fell in love with the hero Lord Simon Devere. Plagued by PTSD, he is a man wracked with pain, and yet he has a gentle, loving side too. Jenny Blackwood is a wonderful heroine – compassionate and wise. I absolutely loved this book, and I can’t wait to read the rest in this series.”
“This is my first book by this author and I will definitely be looking for more from her. The romance happened rather quickly between Jenny and Simon but I found Simon’s problems to be depicted realistically and my heart just went out to him for all he had suffered. I like that the author didn’t solve all Simon’s problems just because Jenny came into his life though she was a major reason for his recovery. The mystery of the missing funds kept me interested and I thought it very interesting. Highly recommend.”
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