Books like 'Lord Despair'
Readers who enjoyed Lord Despair by Sydney Jane Baily also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical victorian regency tortured hero competent heroine super rich hero caretaking mystery strong heroine slow burn
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The Crimson Shield: A Medieval Romance by Kathryn Le Veque
He’s an Executioner Knight with a royal secret that could blow England apart.She’s the last of the bloodlines from the High Kings of Ireland.Between the two of them, they have more royal blood in them than anyone alive, but royal blood can be far more of a curse and far less of a privilege when dealing with secrets that could bring down a kingdom... -
![Aurora by D.G. Rampton]()
Aurora by D.G. Rampton
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 15 ratings70,000+ readers have already discovered the Regency Goddesses Series. The books, which can be read in any order, are regularly in the U.S. top 20 for Historical Romance and Humor & Satire... -
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![Petteril's Folly by Mary Lancaster]()
Petteril's Folly by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.65 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTime to confront reality – and a worrying mystery.Lord Petteril and his new viscountess return to England to face the consequences of their unequal marriage, only to discover that Petteril’s valet, the enigmatic Stewart, has been arrested for theft... -
![The Secret Heart by Mary Lancaster]()
The Secret Heart by Mary Lancaster
Betrayal, temptation and an impossible love.The final book in the Unmarriageable series...Some suspect that Lily Villin is the true heart of the Hart Inn, a lucky house where love always seems to blossom, whatever the obstacles. But Lily has another secret. She is in love with an enigmatic nobleman, and no luck in the world can make such a marriage possible... -
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![Petteril's Wife by Mary Lancaster]()
Petteril's Wife by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsIncognito in Portugal…Lord Petteril’s cousin, the newly commissioned Major Bertie Withan, has gone missing somewhere between landing in Lisbon and joining his regiment on the front line of the Peninsular War... -
![Petteril's Christmas by Mary Lancaster]()
Petteril's Christmas by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA merry Christmas for the Petterils?Piers wants to make their first Christmas together special, and so it proves to be - just not quite in the way he planned.His eccentric Great Aunt Prudence summons him to London with the news that she is dying and that one of her servants is stealing from her. Only one of these claims turns out to be true, though both require investigating... -
![Petteril's Corpse by Mary Lancaster]()
Petteril's Corpse by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA murdered stranger in his home wood…The discovery of a naked corpse upsets the new Viscount Petteril’s return to his ancestral acres. The local magistrate, Robert Lindon, has no idea how to proceed with so heinous a crime... -
![Petteril's Thief by Mary Lancaster]()
Petteril's Thief by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA missing family heirloom – and one of the family stole it.In the spring of 1812, Piers Withan is dragged from his beloved Oxford to be the new Viscount Petteril. Burdened by responsibilities he doesn’t want and the remnants of a family who don’t want him, he is saved from an irredeemable mistake by Ape, the small thief burgling his house... -
![Petteril's Ladybird by Mary Lancaster]()
Petteril's Ladybird by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAn earl’s son, shot in the home of his mistress…Lord Petteril, with his redoubtable assistant April, is called back to London to help prove the innocence of his friend, Percy Austen, who is suspected of murder.Percy was once the lover of the victim’s mistress, and his pistol was found at the scene of the crime... -
![Someone Perfect by Mary Balogh]()
Someone Perfect by Mary Balogh
Sometimes, just one person can pull a whole family apart. And sometimes, it just takes one person to pull it back together. For fans of Bridgerton, New York Times bestselling Regency Romance author Mary Balogh shows how love truly conquers all in this new Friends of the Westcotts novel... -
![Seven Nights with the Duke by Alyssa Clarke]()
Seven Nights with the Duke by Alyssa Clarke
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsMiss Elizabeth ‘Lizzy’ Fairbanks cannot forget a few abandoned moments with Rannulf Headley, the Duke of Ravenswood. Their romance had begun by accident until it ended when she discovered they were worlds apart.Now that her brother is the new Earl of Celdon, the very bad Fairbanks have been trying to behave themselves and fit into London society... -
![The Earl's Iron Warrant by Kate Archer]()
The Earl's Iron Warrant by Kate Archer
Rated: 4.66 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAn Icy Lady and an Implacable Lord... Charles Battersea, Earl of Dalton and heir to the Duke of Glastonburg, is the last holdout among the six young heirs who have been pressured to marry by way of the Dukes’ Pact. This surprises precisely nobody, especially not himself. He has unaccountably lost his friend, Grayson, to Miss Dell, but if he is forced to tow the bachelorhood line alone, so be it... -
![The Country Bride by Dilly Court]()
The Country Bride by Dilly Court
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThe third book in the dramatic new Village Secrets trilogy from the Sunday Times bestselling author. The time had come to leave Creek Manor. Their relationship was doomed from the start, he was the master of the house and she the servant… Summer, Little Creek 1879For most of her life, Judy Begg has been a loyal servant at Creek Manor and to Jack Fox, its future lord... -
![Sutton's Scoundrel by Scarlett Scott]()
Sutton's Scoundrel by Scarlett Scott
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsIn this deliciously steamy Regency romance from USA Today bestselling author Scarlett Scott, a lady determined to restore her reputation meets her match in a seductive East End rogue she can't deny.Dubbed Lady Scandal thanks to her gossip-stirring past, Portia Fairhaven, the widowed Countess of Blakewell, is no stranger to rumors and innuendos...Categorized as:
victorian regency m-f aristocratic heroine class difference highlander historical forbidden love -
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![Made for the Marquess by Alexa Aston]()
Made for the Marquess by Alexa Aston
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFirst sons inherit all. Third sons are promised to the church. Second sons do their duty and serve in the military—unless fate intervenes and turns their lives upside down...Categorized as:
victorian regency tortured hero strong heroine virgin heroine slow burn sweet-hero historical -
![Miss Determined by Grace Burrowes]()
Miss Determined by Grace Burrowes
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsTrevor, Marquess of Tavistock, has finally decided to stop larking around on the Continent, come home, and take a bride. His solicitors applaud his decision to settle down, provided he chooses a wealthy young lady to be his marchioness. Those years Trevor spent seeing the world were bad years for the lordly coffers... -
![Fall of the Lyon: The Lyon's Den by Chasity Bowlin]()
Fall of the Lyon: The Lyon's Den by Chasity Bowlin
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsEnter the world of the most notorious gambling den in London, where matches are made... unusually. Welcome to the world of THE LYON'S DEN: The Black Widow of Whitehall Connected World, where the underground of Regency London thrives... and loves... -
![Sleepless in Southampton by Chasity Bowlin]()
Sleepless in Southampton by Chasity Bowlin
Every touch brings with it a world of temptation. Eventually, there is a point of no return. Miss Sophia Upchurch is not having a good day. Her employer is dead, she’s been robbed, she’s now stranded in a strange city, and the handsome man she’d met on the stage, the man she’d flirted with, is no longer simply Mr. Henry Meredith, a possible suitor... -
![The Fallen Viscount by Wendy Vella]()
The Fallen Viscount by Wendy Vella
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsRuined in the eyes of society, and removed from the only world they’d ever known, the Nightingale siblings vow never to be victims again. They will build their new life on what they’d once ignored. Being a clairvoyant is an excellent survival skill.Could she be the one to save him?Leopold Nightingale was a man who could find things no one else could... -
![Duke with a Debt by Scarlett Scott]()
Duke with a Debt by Scarlett Scott
From USA Today bestselling author Scarlett Scott comes a fiery marriage of convenience between a forthright wallflower and her former flame's forbidden older brother...Stuart Gilden, the arrogant and cold Duke of Camden, is suffocating beneath a mountain of debt caused by his wastrel father and gambling brother...Categorized as:
regency victorian cold hero m-f pregnancy competent heroine tortured hero hurt-comfort -
![A Village Scandal by Dilly Court]()
A Village Scandal by Dilly Court
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe second book in the dramatic new Village Secrets trilogy from the Sunday Times bestselling author. It was her wedding day… the roses and bluebells were blooming and their sweet-scent was filling the air, so why did Daisy feel the cold fingers of fear run down her spine? Spring in the village, April 1869 It’s spring in Little Creek and wedding bells are ringing... -
![My Kind of Scoundrel by Adele Clee]()
My Kind of Scoundrel by Adele Clee
By day, Miss Eleanor Darrow is one of London’s finest modistes. By night, she is a trusted confidante and the keeper of the ton’s scandalous secrets. But what began as an innocent way to supplement her income has her fearing for her life. Her box of secrets is missing. Fortunately, she knows the identity of the handsome scoundrel who stole it... -
![Polishing the Duke by Alexa Aston]()
Polishing the Duke by Alexa Aston
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA haberdashery owner who suddenly discovers he’s a duke . . .A woman of the ton stained by scandal . . .A deathbed request which brings this pair together . . . Haberdasher Pierce Selkirk always knew he was the son of an earl. Much to his surprise, he learns he is not illegitimate as he had been led to believe... -
![The Moonstone Marquess by Meara Platt]()
The Moonstone Marquess by Meara Platt
What happens when a battle-scarred hero bent on destroying himself meets an irresistible force by the name of Phoebe?Lady Phoebe Killigrew is appalled by the scandalous country parties their new neighbor, a war hero marquess, is holding at his estate in Moonstone Landing. She has every intention of keeping well away from him, until a governess arrives at her door with his two nieces... -
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![Wildly Daring by Emma V. Leech]()
Wildly Daring by Emma V. Leech
A bold Miss and her beloved dog…Lady Cara Baxter is a scandal waiting to happen. She knows it. Her family know it. The only question is when and what kind of scandal she will fall into, though undoubtedly her dog, Sultan, will be at the heart of it. Cara doesn’t care. The marriage mart is a bear bait, and not half so much fun as she thought it would be...Categorized as:
victorian regency virgin heroine strong heroine sweet heroine tortured hero sweet-hero m-f -
![In the Dark with the Duke by Christi Caldwell]()
In the Dark with the Duke by Christi Caldwell
A lady of reserve and a fierce street fighter find common ground in the second Lost Lords of London novel by USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell.Eight years ago, Lady Lila March retreated to the safe shadows of her family’s estate after a devastating tragedy. Weary of being a whisper of her former self, she is determined to brave the dangers of the outside world again...Categorized as:
regency victorian tortured hero class difference m-f historical tortured heroine audiobook -
![It's Raining Rakes in April by Annabelle Anders]()
It's Raining Rakes in April by Annabelle Anders
An undercover duke and a clumsy, but ambitious, debutanteEveryone knows debutantes will do anything to marry a duke, which is precisely why this season, the Duke of Ridgefield is going undercover as yet another notorious rake—the mysterious Mr. Pope. As the eldest of seven sisters, Miss Julia Rigsby has one task in life—marry well. The trouble is, she’s clueless when it comes to flirting...Categorized as:
class difference regency m-f virgin heroine poor heroine historical length-short united-kingdom -
![The Heart of a Scoundrel by Christi Caldwell]()
The Heart of a Scoundrel by Christi Caldwell
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsRuthless, wicked, and dark, the Marquess of Rutland rouses terror in the breast of ladies and nobleman alike. All Edmund wants in life is power. After he was publically humiliated by his one love Lady Margaret, he vowed vengeance, using Margaret’s niece, as his pawn. Except, he’s thwarted by another, more enticing target—Miss Phoebe Barrett...Categorized as:
regency victorian virgin heroine tortured hero cold hero historical vengeance possessive hero -
![A Rogue to Ruin by Darcy Burke]()
A Rogue to Ruin by Darcy Burke
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom USA Today bestselling author Darcy Burke, your next Regency obsession: The Pretenders! Set in Burke’s popular world of The Untouchables, indulge in the saga of a trio of siblings who excel at being something they’re not... -
![Miss Devoted by Grace Burrowes]()
Miss Devoted by Grace Burrowes
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsPsyche Fremont has known two constants in life: Her passion for her art, and society’s determination to ignore her talent. She isn’t looking for anything other than a handsome model when she crosses paths with Michael Delancey, and he’s only interested in making a few discreet coins lounging about in the altogether... -
![Petteril's Portrait by Mary Lancaster]()
Petteril's Portrait by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA defaced portrait and the death of an artist – but is anything quite what it seems?To the furious disapproval of his assistant, April, Lord Petteril insists on calling in on Lady Haggard’s country house party – only to discover his hostess and her guests in uproar over a portrait of the late Sir Weston Haggard which has been deliberately damaged... -
![The Moonstone Major by Meara Platt]()
The Moonstone Major by Meara Platt
His scars ran deep. Only Chloe had the power to heal him.It is said moonstones shine brightest in the presence of true love. Will they shine for Chloe, the youngest of the Killigrew sisters, and Fionn, the battle-scarred hero who has closed himself off to love?Lady Chloe Killigrew is surprised to find herself much sought after in Moonstone Landing's elegant society... -
![The Miracle of Love by Meara Platt]()
The Miracle of Love by Meara Platt
He was only assigned to protect her for the week, but his heart wanted to protect her forever.Enjoy this next installment in the humorous and heartwarming, bestselling Regency romance Book of Love series.Deklan Quinton is a blazing hot hero who has more than earned his reputation as the Crown’s top agent...Categorized as:
victorian regency virgin heroine men in uniform sweet-hero historical forced proximity shy heroine -
![The Moonstone Hero by Meara Platt]()
The Moonstone Hero by Meara Platt
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe thought the moonstones were magic. He knew the magic was her.Ever since she was a little girl, Lady Ella Stockwell has spent idyllic summers at her uncle’s home in Moonstone Landing. But this year is slightly different, for a contingent of wounded soldiers has just arrived in the charming seaside village, including the handsome and highly decorated war hero, Caden Seaton... -
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![How to Climb a Lady's Tower by Bree Wolf]()
How to Climb a Lady's Tower by Bree Wolf
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIn this fairy tale Regency romance by USA Today bestselling and HOLT Medallion winning author BREE WOLF, a daring miss and an American heir discover that adventure can be found anywhere...as long as you got the right person by your side.An untamed lady.A stranger in the night.And a match made in heaven... -
![A Scandalous Bargain by Darcy Burke]()
A Scandalous Bargain by Darcy Burke
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom USA Today bestselling author Darcy Burke, your next Regency obsession: The Pretenders! Set in Burke’s popular world of The Untouchables, indulge in the saga of a trio of siblings who excel at being something they’re not... -
![Duke in All But Name by Caroline Warfield]()
Duke in All But Name by Caroline Warfield
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSecrets and lies threaten to pull them under, but a forced marriage may be their salvation. Gideon Kendrick grew up as the despised bastard son of the Duke of Glenmoor. Exiled to the mines by his father, he has not only survived but thrived and prospered. He lives apart, wanting nothing to do with the duke, the estate—or anything in his past, except his younger brother Phillip, the new duke... -
![One Night of Passion by Erica Ridley]()
One Night of Passion by Erica Ridley
Meet the unforgettable men of London's most notorious tavern, The Wicked Duke. Seductively handsome, with charm and wit to spare, one night with these rakes and rogues will never be enough… Lifelong romantic Thaddeus Middleton is on the hunt for a wife. He hopes to find a woman more attracted to him than to money... -
![One Night to Remember by Erica Ridley]()
One Night to Remember by Erica Ridley
Meet the unforgettable men of London's most notorious tavern, The Wicked Duke... -
![Winter's Whispers by Scarlett Scott]()
Winter's Whispers by Scarlett Scott
Don’t miss this special addition to the bestselling The Wicked Winters series, featuring Winter family favorites and a whole lot of holiday steam!Blade Winter is a coldhearted assassin with a deadly reputation. After a costly mistake leaves him banished to the countryside for a Christmas house party he has no wish to attend, he is furious. No amount of merrymaking is going to improve his mood... -
![The Beast's Beguiled by Eva Devon, Maire Claremont]()
The Beast's Beguiled by Eva Devon, Maire Claremont
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom USATODAY Bestselling author Eva Devon, writing as Maire Claremont, comes a brand new series that will sweep you away to the drama and angst of Regency England. Glittering ballrooms, wild moors, and brooding lords waiting to be tamed by bluestockings await. . .Catherine Ludlow knows the betrayal of family...Categorized as:
victorian regency virgin heroine strong heroine cold hero pregnancy historical from hate to love -
![The Spinster Who Saved a Scoundrel by Christi Caldwell]()
The Spinster Who Saved a Scoundrel by Christi Caldwell
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIn the next Brethren installment, a clever spinster is matched with a traitor to the Crown. The death of her father leaves Miss Francesca Cornworthy .... alone, and with one last wish to fulfill—that she marry a safe, respectable gentleman. She sets herself on a course to honor that request. That is until she crosses paths with Mr... -
![The Duke’s Unexpected Love by Alexa Aston]()
The Duke’s Unexpected Love by Alexa Aston
A virgin widow running her own company. A man who returns home after years at sea. An oddly-matched couple—who may not be so incompatible after all . . . James Jones recalls little of his past, only remembering being taken as a young boy and growing up on the Seven Seas... -
![A Matchmaker for a Marquess by Christi Caldwell]()
A Matchmaker for a Marquess by Christi Caldwell
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBe prepared to smile, swoon, and sigh in Christi Caldwell's latest 'Heart of a Scandal' installment where a matchmaker firmly on the shelf is about to fall head over heels for her best friend's younger brother. She lived by a strict set of rules… Meredith Durant believes those who won’t marry, matchmake, and she’s made a notable career for herself helping young women find the perfect mate... -
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![A Secret Surrender by Darcy Burke]()
A Secret Surrender by Darcy Burke
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA survivor of the mean streets of London’s East End, Selina Blackwell has learned to be a chameleon, and in her current iteration as a fortune-teller, she’s able to provide a Season for her sister. Only, Madame Sybila can’t be a chaperone, so Selina takes on another identity as the proper Lady Gresham... -
![Bewitched by the Bluestocking by Jillian Eaton]()
Bewitched by the Bluestocking by Jillian Eaton
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsIt's British versus American in this sexy battle of wits! British private investigator, Thomas Kincaid, thinks he’s seen it all . . . until a gorgeous, soaking-wet American shows up on his doorstep and demands he help her find a stolen family heirloom. Having had his heart crushed once before by a beautiful woman, Kincaid has no intention of tempting fate a second time... -
![It Started With a Scandal by Julie Anne Long]()
It Started With a Scandal by Julie Anne Long
Lord Philippe Lavay once took to the high seas armed with charm as lethal as his sword and a stone-cold conviction: he'll restore his family's fortune and honor, no matter the cost. Victory is at last within reach--when a brutal attack snatches it from his grasp and lands him in Pennyroyal Green. An afternoon of bliss brings a cascade of consequences for Elise Fountain... -
![The Angel and the Aristocrat by Merry Farmer]()
The Angel and the Aristocrat by Merry Farmer
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsYou are cordially invited to the country house party of the summer...Five years ago, six exceptional ladies graduated from Twittingham Academy and successfully nabbed themselves the most sought-after matrimonial prizes in London. Actually, they didn't. Not one of them... -
![The Princess and the Rogue by Kate Bateman]()
The Princess and the Rogue by Kate Bateman
A princess in disguise is forced to live with a rogue in order to protect her from danger in this fun, sexy regency romance.Bow Street agent Sebastien Wolff, Earl of Mowbray, doesn't believe in love―until a passionate kiss with a beautiful stranger in a brothel forces him to reconsider... -
![The Beast's Bargain by Eva Devon, Maire Claremont]()
The Beast's Bargain by Eva Devon, Maire Claremont
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom USATODAY Bestselling author Eva Devon, writing as Maire Claremont, comes a brand new series that will sweep you away to the drama and angst of Regency England. Glittering ballrooms, wild moors, and brooding lords waiting to be tamed by bluestockings await. . .Sometimes the only way a beast can find love is with a bargain. .
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