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The Lonely Lord
I am alone. Do you ever feel set apart from whatever is going on around you? Is it just me who feels lost and unconnected to the world? I have no idea how to connect even if I wished to. Sometimes it feels safer in not quite belonging. Anthony Rusell, Earl of Lever, has to marry before his thirtieth birthday – his father’s will dictates it. A man who has always been socially awkward and at a loss of how to communicate easily with people is determined to marry to save his heritage, but has no real idea of how to avoid making a blundering mess of the situation he is faced with.
Mrs Julia Price is a widow escaping from a brutal past of living with an abusive husband. Wishing to give her son everything, while living in straightened circumstances, she is determined to appear as undamaged as she can be. She will no longer be intimidated or treated poorly.
Two damaged souls brought together amid a mix of family conflict, old friendships and Bath Society.
Dare they risk their hearts? Are they able to forget the trauma of the past? One thing is certain, after meeting, neither will be the same again.….
The Lonely Lord is a Regency romance which is topped with a generous dose of humour, chemistry, teasing and tears. If you like complex, but strong characters, a huge dose of romance, with some laughs along the way, then you'll love Audrey Harrison's Regency tale. Everyone deserves that happy ending.
Buy The Lonely Lord and fall in love today!
Mrs Julia Price is a widow escaping from a brutal past of living with an abusive husband. Wishing to give her son everything, while living in straightened circumstances, she is determined to appear as undamaged as she can be. She will no longer be intimidated or treated poorly.
Two damaged souls brought together amid a mix of family conflict, old friendships and Bath Society.
Dare they risk their hearts? Are they able to forget the trauma of the past? One thing is certain, after meeting, neither will be the same again.….
The Lonely Lord is a Regency romance which is topped with a generous dose of humour, chemistry, teasing and tears. If you like complex, but strong characters, a huge dose of romance, with some laughs along the way, then you'll love Audrey Harrison's Regency tale. Everyone deserves that happy ending.
Buy The Lonely Lord and fall in love today!
263 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 20, 2019
385 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
About the author
Audrey Harrison
144 books137 followersAudrey Harrison was born about two hundred years too late. She wants to belong to a time when men were men and women were dressed in gowns and could float, simper and sigh.
In the real world she has always longed to write, writing a full manuscript when she was fourteen years old. Work, marriage and children got in the way as they do and it was only when an event at work landed her in hospital that she decided to take stock. One Voluntary Redundancy later, she found that the words and characters came to the forefront and the writing began in earnest.
Her ideal would be to write Regency Romances, but more modern characters are insisting on being heard, hence the release of’ ‘A Very Modern Lord’, a contemporary romance.
So, although at home more these days, the housework is still neglected and tea is still late on the table, but she has an understanding family, who usually shake their heads at her and sigh. That is a sign of understanding, isn’t it?
In the real world she has always longed to write, writing a full manuscript when she was fourteen years old. Work, marriage and children got in the way as they do and it was only when an event at work landed her in hospital that she decided to take stock. One Voluntary Redundancy later, she found that the words and characters came to the forefront and the writing began in earnest.
Her ideal would be to write Regency Romances, but more modern characters are insisting on being heard, hence the release of’ ‘A Very Modern Lord’, a contemporary romance.
So, although at home more these days, the housework is still neglected and tea is still late on the table, but she has an understanding family, who usually shake their heads at her and sigh. That is a sign of understanding, isn’t it?
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
December 12, 2019
.
I'm gonna say 3.5 rounded up. It's a little slow here and there, but then there's these great little bits that made it totally worth reading.
Anthony has had a shitty life. His mother dies when he was very young and so his a-hole dad was the guy who raised him... but really he just ignored him when he wasn't ridiculing him. Anthony was like a stranger in his own house and so his emotional growth was stunted.
Here the story opens with his father long dead but forcing him through his will, to marry before he turns 30 or the wealth that keeps his tenants happy will be given to his younger step brother. But how to marry when his brutal honesty sends most women stalking away in anger?
With the help of his only friend, his mother's father, Gabriel and Gabriel's old flame, Julia's grandmother, little matchmaking ensues.
Julia was married to a monster, who is thankfully dead. But the experience scarred her and left her full of self doubt. She lives for her son. Her self esteem issues wore on me a bit here and there.
The first 20% was pretty slow with all the set up of the characters and Julia's first tastes of Anthony's putting his foot in his mouth disease.
But once Julia realizes that Anthony doesn't actually intend to be offensive, things start to roll.
AT 25% Anthony's horrid step mother arrives with her first born, Anthony's little brother.
I found the story not as predictable as I expected and Anthony's character was quite endearing.
Around 2/3 in Anthony arrives to the rescue and it was fantastically righteous!
The ending was sweet and made up for all the awkward misunderstandings that came before. Not silly MUs but ones that came from two solidly developed characters and their own erroneous interpretations of each other's actions.
Anthony's brother and grandfather were wonderful support characters as well.
I think if Julia had been a little less full of self doubt, it would have been a solid 4 stars or more.
Safety is all good
I'm gonna say 3.5 rounded up. It's a little slow here and there, but then there's these great little bits that made it totally worth reading.
Anthony has had a shitty life. His mother dies when he was very young and so his a-hole dad was the guy who raised him... but really he just ignored him when he wasn't ridiculing him. Anthony was like a stranger in his own house and so his emotional growth was stunted.
Here the story opens with his father long dead but forcing him through his will, to marry before he turns 30 or the wealth that keeps his tenants happy will be given to his younger step brother. But how to marry when his brutal honesty sends most women stalking away in anger?
With the help of his only friend, his mother's father, Gabriel and Gabriel's old flame, Julia's grandmother, little matchmaking ensues.
Julia was married to a monster, who is thankfully dead. But the experience scarred her and left her full of self doubt. She lives for her son. Her self esteem issues wore on me a bit here and there.
The first 20% was pretty slow with all the set up of the characters and Julia's first tastes of Anthony's putting his foot in his mouth disease.
But once Julia realizes that Anthony doesn't actually intend to be offensive, things start to roll.
AT 25% Anthony's horrid step mother arrives with her first born, Anthony's little brother.
I found the story not as predictable as I expected and Anthony's character was quite endearing.
Around 2/3 in Anthony arrives to the rescue and it was fantastically righteous!
The ending was sweet and made up for all the awkward misunderstandings that came before. Not silly MUs but ones that came from two solidly developed characters and their own erroneous interpretations of each other's actions.
Anthony's brother and grandfather were wonderful support characters as well.
I think if Julia had been a little less full of self doubt, it would have been a solid 4 stars or more.
Safety is all good
August 18, 2019
This is an author I’ve been meaning to catch up with for a while, but this is the first book of hers I’ve got round to reading and it was an interesting one. There are not many authors with the nerve to tackle a hero like Anthony Russell, the Earl of Lever. He’s a man completely uncomfortable in social settings, never knowing the right thing to say, honest to the point of bluntness and oblivious to the subtle nuances of conversation. The author sets it down to a neglectful childhood, but I’d have said it was some variant of autism myself. Whatever the cause, Anthony is very believably portrayed.
And in Julia Price, we have another unusual character - not the customary debutante, nor even the almost-on-the-shelf spinster, but a widow with a young son. And not a rich widow, either, for Julia is virtually destitute, dependent on her grandmother’s charity. And there’s one more element to Julia’s life that makes her unusual, for her husband was a violent man. So we have two very interesting characters, and a highly original pairing for a Regency novel.
This was my second book on the trot to feature Bath as a backdrop, and again the author makes the city and its attractions very believable. Less believable (to me) is the premise that Anthony has to marry before his thirtieth birthday or lose a large part of his fortune. I understand the plot benefits of such a deadline, but anyone reading a regular diet of Regency romances would imagine that all fathers of the era were devoted to wildly eccentric wills. However, be that as it may, the author at least understands the legal constraints, so the title and entailed fortune are still Anthony’s, but if he fails in this task, his younger step-brother will be a great deal better off. His step-mother conforms to the conventions of wicked step-mothers everywhere by doing her level best to ensure that her own son inherits as much as possible.
And so the stage is set, and, once Julia’s grandmother and Anthony’s grandfather meet up and rekindle an old friendship, it’s only a matter of time before the two principals are hurtling towards the altar. Naturally there are a few wrinkles along the way, driven by minor characters and Julia’s son, but the eventual outcome is never in doubt. Julia’s abusive husband almost comes between them at one point but this is easily swept aside. In fact, I felt too little was made of her history, and perhaps it could have been used to add an additional layer of depth to the story. The real obstacle - Anthony’s social awkwardness - is really the only thing keeping them apart. I’m not sure that the way Anthony rises to the challenges before him at the end of the book is completely convincing, but by that point I was willing to go along with it and cheer him on.
There were a few niggles with the writing - not complaints, but stylistic choices of the author’s that didn’t quite sit right with me. For instance, a line like, ‘“I wouldn’t do that,” he warned…’ instead of the cleaner ‘he said’. Sometimes that felt like repetition, and I found it distracting. And too often we’d be told that it was the first time a character had said or done something, which felt too much like telling instead of showing for my taste. Purely a personal preference issue, though, and otherwise the writing was excellent. I only spotted one historical inaccuracy, in a mention of legal adoption - not a thing until well after the Regency. Informal adoption was commonplace, but there was no legal process for it until 1926. But that’s a minor detail.
This was an interesting and brave story from Audrey Harrison, which I enjoyed despite a few minor niggles and will certainly be reading more of her work in the future. A good four stars.
And in Julia Price, we have another unusual character - not the customary debutante, nor even the almost-on-the-shelf spinster, but a widow with a young son. And not a rich widow, either, for Julia is virtually destitute, dependent on her grandmother’s charity. And there’s one more element to Julia’s life that makes her unusual, for her husband was a violent man. So we have two very interesting characters, and a highly original pairing for a Regency novel.
This was my second book on the trot to feature Bath as a backdrop, and again the author makes the city and its attractions very believable. Less believable (to me) is the premise that Anthony has to marry before his thirtieth birthday or lose a large part of his fortune. I understand the plot benefits of such a deadline, but anyone reading a regular diet of Regency romances would imagine that all fathers of the era were devoted to wildly eccentric wills. However, be that as it may, the author at least understands the legal constraints, so the title and entailed fortune are still Anthony’s, but if he fails in this task, his younger step-brother will be a great deal better off. His step-mother conforms to the conventions of wicked step-mothers everywhere by doing her level best to ensure that her own son inherits as much as possible.
And so the stage is set, and, once Julia’s grandmother and Anthony’s grandfather meet up and rekindle an old friendship, it’s only a matter of time before the two principals are hurtling towards the altar. Naturally there are a few wrinkles along the way, driven by minor characters and Julia’s son, but the eventual outcome is never in doubt. Julia’s abusive husband almost comes between them at one point but this is easily swept aside. In fact, I felt too little was made of her history, and perhaps it could have been used to add an additional layer of depth to the story. The real obstacle - Anthony’s social awkwardness - is really the only thing keeping them apart. I’m not sure that the way Anthony rises to the challenges before him at the end of the book is completely convincing, but by that point I was willing to go along with it and cheer him on.
There were a few niggles with the writing - not complaints, but stylistic choices of the author’s that didn’t quite sit right with me. For instance, a line like, ‘“I wouldn’t do that,” he warned…’ instead of the cleaner ‘he said’. Sometimes that felt like repetition, and I found it distracting. And too often we’d be told that it was the first time a character had said or done something, which felt too much like telling instead of showing for my taste. Purely a personal preference issue, though, and otherwise the writing was excellent. I only spotted one historical inaccuracy, in a mention of legal adoption - not a thing until well after the Regency. Informal adoption was commonplace, but there was no legal process for it until 1926. But that’s a minor detail.
This was an interesting and brave story from Audrey Harrison, which I enjoyed despite a few minor niggles and will certainly be reading more of her work in the future. A good four stars.
June 4, 2020
In His head and In love
This was such a quick and lovely read. It’s fast paced and humorous. It may be too fast for some, but where most regency novels contain moments of angst from misunderstandings and from not saying aloud what they are thinking, this one comes right out and says it. It saves about 200 pages in the process. Yes the love is fast, the changes in the characters can seem quick, but she does it so well, you can’t help enjoying it. If you are looking for a sweet love story with great banter between the two main characters, this is it. If you are curious about imperfect characters known for bluntness and social awkwardness and a past that’s affected them, this is it. It never becomes too dark while still being real. And it’s never too cheesy. I can’t help but picture the autistic character from the show The Good Doctor on different occasions. I can’t find fault with this one. Now I want to try more of her books!
This was such a quick and lovely read. It’s fast paced and humorous. It may be too fast for some, but where most regency novels contain moments of angst from misunderstandings and from not saying aloud what they are thinking, this one comes right out and says it. It saves about 200 pages in the process. Yes the love is fast, the changes in the characters can seem quick, but she does it so well, you can’t help enjoying it. If you are looking for a sweet love story with great banter between the two main characters, this is it. If you are curious about imperfect characters known for bluntness and social awkwardness and a past that’s affected them, this is it. It never becomes too dark while still being real. And it’s never too cheesy. I can’t help but picture the autistic character from the show The Good Doctor on different occasions. I can’t find fault with this one. Now I want to try more of her books!
September 22, 2020
Surprisingly wonderful
The H/h of this story are Anthony, an emotionally stunted, socially awkward peer and Julia, a skittish widow living with her young son on her grandmother’s charity. The setting is the faded resort town of Bath, a nice change from the more typical London setting.
The character development is good from the beginning, especially that of Anthony’s character, a man so socially awkward that he is reminiscent of an unfunny, Regency era Sheldon Cooper. The good news is that his character GROWS as the story progresses. The heroine and secondary characters are also well drawn portraits of people in an era when rank, wealth and reputation are paramount, but who also know that it is the relationships that we form and nurture that are also very important.
The strength of this novel I think, is the believability of the characters, the effects of their respective past hurts, and the way that the author has them resolve their respective fears in order for the HEA to occur believably.
Bottom line: This is a quietly told, dialog-heavy story of two decent people who fall in love and then do the hard work required for it to last. All in all, I found it a fine read.
The H/h of this story are Anthony, an emotionally stunted, socially awkward peer and Julia, a skittish widow living with her young son on her grandmother’s charity. The setting is the faded resort town of Bath, a nice change from the more typical London setting.
The character development is good from the beginning, especially that of Anthony’s character, a man so socially awkward that he is reminiscent of an unfunny, Regency era Sheldon Cooper. The good news is that his character GROWS as the story progresses. The heroine and secondary characters are also well drawn portraits of people in an era when rank, wealth and reputation are paramount, but who also know that it is the relationships that we form and nurture that are also very important.
The strength of this novel I think, is the believability of the characters, the effects of their respective past hurts, and the way that the author has them resolve their respective fears in order for the HEA to occur believably.
Bottom line: This is a quietly told, dialog-heavy story of two decent people who fall in love and then do the hard work required for it to last. All in all, I found it a fine read.
October 7, 2020
Not bad - but I found the the author’s writing style irritating, which spoiled my enjoyment of this book. At 50% I started losing the will to keep going - which is never a good sign.
After reading the synopsis I was looking forward to the read. Introverted, lonely lord meets widow with troubled past marriage and finds true love... what’s not to like?
Well... the weird italicised stream of consciousness from Anthony (not quite a diary, not quite a narrative) . The dry recitation in the main body of the story that makes you feel as though you are not part of the story but watching it from far away. The overall lack of momentum that makes you feel like you are wading through the book.
It’s probably just a personal thing - but this book just is not in the league of my favourite Historical Romance authors
After reading the synopsis I was looking forward to the read. Introverted, lonely lord meets widow with troubled past marriage and finds true love... what’s not to like?
Well... the weird italicised stream of consciousness from Anthony (not quite a diary, not quite a narrative) . The dry recitation in the main body of the story that makes you feel as though you are not part of the story but watching it from far away. The overall lack of momentum that makes you feel like you are wading through the book.
It’s probably just a personal thing - but this book just is not in the league of my favourite Historical Romance authors
June 2, 2019
My word this cover is gorgeous. And the premise was even more gorgeous!
Sadly, the story failed to deliver. I was hoping for a real insight into Anthony's mind - his despair and loneliness, the way he was excluded, his crushing inability to 'fit in'. Instead it was all 'tell' instead of 'show' and there was actually very little depth to any of the characters in the story.
At times I did wonder who the main character was meant to be - Anthony or his Grandfather Gabriel? I never got to 'know' any of the people in the story and none of them came alive on the page.
The writing needed tightening up. Far too many adverbs in dialogue tags.
Examples: ..said ... grimly, quietly, seriously, firmly, good-naturedly, slightly, longingly, innocently, gently, eagerly, (I stopped highlighting after a while) It was clunky and ponderous.
Some of the dialogue and actions had a 'modern' feel to it as if the author hadn't considered the actual speech and morals of the era.
All in all, disappointing. As I said the cover is gorgeous, but I need more in a book than a good cover. I need to care about the characters, and to fall in love with them and to worry about them. And I didn't.
Sadly, the story failed to deliver. I was hoping for a real insight into Anthony's mind - his despair and loneliness, the way he was excluded, his crushing inability to 'fit in'. Instead it was all 'tell' instead of 'show' and there was actually very little depth to any of the characters in the story.
At times I did wonder who the main character was meant to be - Anthony or his Grandfather Gabriel? I never got to 'know' any of the people in the story and none of them came alive on the page.
The writing needed tightening up. Far too many adverbs in dialogue tags.
Examples: ..said ... grimly, quietly, seriously, firmly, good-naturedly, slightly, longingly, innocently, gently, eagerly, (I stopped highlighting after a while) It was clunky and ponderous.
Some of the dialogue and actions had a 'modern' feel to it as if the author hadn't considered the actual speech and morals of the era.
All in all, disappointing. As I said the cover is gorgeous, but I need more in a book than a good cover. I need to care about the characters, and to fall in love with them and to worry about them. And I didn't.
May 25, 2019
Another remarkable book by Audrey Harrison
The Lonesome Lord is a great story about an awkward outsider who starts by wondering if it’s possible to feel anything at all. After an abusive childhood and a vicious clause in his father’s will that leaves him devastated, it’s no wonder he feels dead inside.
His meeting with the abused widow Juliet sets him on the path to resurrection. Both individuals are damaged by forms of abuse and at first their meetings are tempestuous. But honesty has a way of
bringing people together and that’s what happens with Lonely Lord Lever and his cohort.
This is a wonderful story with psychological insights into abuse and recovery. Audrey Harrison is a remarkable author. She is not just a Regency author, but a novelist whose stories ring true regardless of period.
The Lonesome Lord is a great story about an awkward outsider who starts by wondering if it’s possible to feel anything at all. After an abusive childhood and a vicious clause in his father’s will that leaves him devastated, it’s no wonder he feels dead inside.
His meeting with the abused widow Juliet sets him on the path to resurrection. Both individuals are damaged by forms of abuse and at first their meetings are tempestuous. But honesty has a way of
bringing people together and that’s what happens with Lonely Lord Lever and his cohort.
This is a wonderful story with psychological insights into abuse and recovery. Audrey Harrison is a remarkable author. She is not just a Regency author, but a novelist whose stories ring true regardless of period.
January 9, 2020
I found this book difficult to plod through. As others mentioned, the stream of consciousness inner monologue was weird, and in my opinion, too melodramatic. There was a lot of telling going on and not enough showing--especially in regards to Anthony's upbringing and feelings of isolation. The dialogue was equally clunky. The characters seem to start talking about serious topics (Julia's abusive husband, her strained finances, Anthony's social awkwardness) within their very first meeting, which is certainly not polite conversation and would not have been socially acceptable at the time. I loved the idea of this story, but was very unimpressed with its execution. Given the poor writing in this novel, I don't think I'll be picking up anymore Audrey Harrison books.
March 15, 2020
I have sometimes wondered what it would be like to be connected to someone. To care unconditionally and wholly for that one person. Is it fulfilling, or does it bring pain of its own?
So the hero wonders in the first chapter. Unfortunately, I've been there and done that and have the t-shirt to prove it, and I can say that it only ends with more pain, at least in my experiences. Fortunately for the hero, however, this is fiction, so he has a much higher chance at having a better go at it than I did.
The hero is autistic. Normally if the author doesn't specifically say so (or one of the characters don't specifically say, in a book with a contemporary setting), I use the "character with autism possibly" tag, but THIS HERO IS AUTISTIC (which makes my autistic self so happy). No one will ever be able to convince me otherwise on this. His overly clinical and forthright disposition is blamed on how he was raised, but it genuinely felt way more than that to me. I present my proof under a spoiler cut.
So, like I said, call it what you will, but my autistic mind was chanting the whole story "one of us, one of us, one of us!"
So the book isn't perfect. There are a LOT of adverbs and headhopping (multiple points of view in a single passage). The writing style is a little dry at times. But meh, I didn't really care enough about any of those things for them to stop my enjoyment of the book. All of the autistic heroes (and heroines!) finding all of the love, please. That is how I enjoy my fiction.
I will definitely be reading more from this author.
July 5, 2019
True To Life.
I loved this book. It was about two people who were abused, mentally and physically. Who together were able to regain and become their TRUE selves. Recognizing and accepting the value of each other to make a life they never thought to have. Bravo, Audrey Harrison well done!
I loved this book. It was about two people who were abused, mentally and physically. Who together were able to regain and become their TRUE selves. Recognizing and accepting the value of each other to make a life they never thought to have. Bravo, Audrey Harrison well done!
June 12, 2019
Tedious.
May 8, 2021
Nice set up, nice characters, serious problems with the execution. Honestly, it was really disappointing because I mostly liked the dynamic between the two leads and enjoyed the aspect of Julia having a son from a previous marriage. I had high hopes, but all of the technical issues and story execution made this book a dud for me.
First, the incomprehensible point of view. I mean. HEAVENS. I think Harrison was going for third person omniscient, but what really happened was third person limited that switched points of view suddenly with no clear indication. Several times I'd read multiple paragraphs before realizing this was about an entirely different character. I cannot stress how much I did not care to read from the point of view of just about every.single.character. Ugh. No.
Second, the prose was weak. It needed serious tightening and a good editor to help with the punctuation. Commas in the middle of sentences, missing periods after titles, even mid-sentence tense changes. Nope. Nope, nope, nope.
Third, this isn't one romance; it's two, almost three, awkwardly crammed together and neither executed well. I know this happens in other romances and can sometimes work, but it didn't here, largely because the narration style made large chunks of the book center on the perspectives of the "secondary" characters' romance, which I just didn't really care about. Because of this, we lacked moments of real character growth and relationship development. The changes happened more like a switch being flipped. Didn't work for me.
Fourth, it was really slow. Not much happens. They go to fancy parks and kind of talk. They go to balls and kind of talk. They go to parks and kind of talk. And so forth, for most of the story. This could have been so much better as a tightly written novella centering around just one romance.
It's frustrating because I feel like the author's stories have so much potential, but this one didn't land for me and due to how many different issues there were, I don't think this is an author I'll be reading more from.
First, the incomprehensible point of view. I mean. HEAVENS. I think Harrison was going for third person omniscient, but what really happened was third person limited that switched points of view suddenly with no clear indication. Several times I'd read multiple paragraphs before realizing this was about an entirely different character. I cannot stress how much I did not care to read from the point of view of just about every.single.character. Ugh. No.
Second, the prose was weak. It needed serious tightening and a good editor to help with the punctuation. Commas in the middle of sentences, missing periods after titles, even mid-sentence tense changes. Nope. Nope, nope, nope.
Third, this isn't one romance; it's two, almost three, awkwardly crammed together and neither executed well. I know this happens in other romances and can sometimes work, but it didn't here, largely because the narration style made large chunks of the book center on the perspectives of the "secondary" characters' romance, which I just didn't really care about. Because of this, we lacked moments of real character growth and relationship development. The changes happened more like a switch being flipped. Didn't work for me.
Fourth, it was really slow. Not much happens. They go to fancy parks and kind of talk. They go to balls and kind of talk. They go to parks and kind of talk. And so forth, for most of the story. This could have been so much better as a tightly written novella centering around just one romance.
It's frustrating because I feel like the author's stories have so much potential, but this one didn't land for me and due to how many different issues there were, I don't think this is an author I'll be reading more from.
February 4, 2022
Traditional Regency Romance, written the way I like it. More about character development than outside drama. The 2 leads were nice and kind and you can't help but root for them to find happiness. I liked to read about an introvert male MC; he is not grumpy or cold or a rake like most heroes, but he is awkward, can't read the room and doesn't like to socialize. But he loves his grandpa (though he doesn't show it too openly), likes his half-brother, and isn't too worry about getting his inheritance or not. A very refreshing sort of hero.
The heroine is a widow with a sad past Luckily, she has her son and her grandmother, who love her.
What left me "?" was that Anthony is almost 30 and his grandpa is in his 60's... WHAT. It makes more sense in Julia's grandma... could have had her daughter at 20 and again her daughter had Julia at 20... girls in that time were mothers in their teens, but men weren't, so....
So the story was lovely till that scene in the ballroom happened.. with that awful Mr. Prescott asking Julia to be his "lightskirt". It led to a misunderstanding and Julia and Anthony almost lost each other just because 1) Anthony couldn't ask her what happened (I am not saying "figuring it out" since he wasn't very intuitive) and 2) Julia couldn't tell him that it was all a misunderstanding because of her past. So the last part was too long and dragged too much.
The heroine is a widow with a sad past Luckily, she has her son and her grandmother, who love her.
What left me "?" was that Anthony is almost 30 and his grandpa is in his 60's... WHAT. It makes more sense in Julia's grandma... could have had her daughter at 20 and again her daughter had Julia at 20... girls in that time were mothers in their teens, but men weren't, so....
So the story was lovely till that scene in the ballroom happened.. with that awful Mr. Prescott asking Julia to be his "lightskirt". It led to a misunderstanding and Julia and Anthony almost lost each other just because 1) Anthony couldn't ask her what happened (I am not saying "figuring it out" since he wasn't very intuitive) and 2) Julia couldn't tell him that it was all a misunderstanding because of her past. So the last part was too long and dragged too much.
January 27, 2025
5 STARS, HISTORICAL ROMANCE DRAMA
This is a great Regency Romance Drama that will make your emotions ride the rollercoaster. It is a 5 STARS well written storyline that is fast paced filled with emotional action & drama that is also a page turner. Great characters with some you loved & liked & others not.
I found this unique in that the main character who needs to marry is a Lord who grew up a lonely boy after his mother died and has a stepmother that hates him. Hearing the dynamic with his step brothers & then him growing up in the house was one of the saddest most heartbreaking thing I had ever heard. Although, I have no doubt children are living that reality in the world.
Going on a terrific BLURB is provided. So I am not going to say more on the plot than that.
I could not put this read down and got up to wash my face to keep from dozing off. I loved this read & it will definitely be one I reread probably more than once. If you enjoy people struggling for love, people fighting for love, & people who need to let an abusive relationship live in the past & not in the mind maybe get new love, and they are all good people this story is for you. There is more than 1 couple that comes together in this read.
RECOMMEND
This is a great Regency Romance Drama that will make your emotions ride the rollercoaster. It is a 5 STARS well written storyline that is fast paced filled with emotional action & drama that is also a page turner. Great characters with some you loved & liked & others not.
I found this unique in that the main character who needs to marry is a Lord who grew up a lonely boy after his mother died and has a stepmother that hates him. Hearing the dynamic with his step brothers & then him growing up in the house was one of the saddest most heartbreaking thing I had ever heard. Although, I have no doubt children are living that reality in the world.
Going on a terrific BLURB is provided. So I am not going to say more on the plot than that.
I could not put this read down and got up to wash my face to keep from dozing off. I loved this read & it will definitely be one I reread probably more than once. If you enjoy people struggling for love, people fighting for love, & people who need to let an abusive relationship live in the past & not in the mind maybe get new love, and they are all good people this story is for you. There is more than 1 couple that comes together in this read.
RECOMMEND
July 7, 2021
This is the first Audrey Harrison novel I’ve read and it was pretty good. Although Harrison doesn’t have quite the same writing caliber as, say Georgette Heyer, her writing is great and very readable.
As for our lonely lord, he was a perfect gentleman of course. He was a very serious and complicated man, but his supporting characters were all cleverly written to offset his moody temperament with lighthearted comedy. His pairing with Julia was well written too.
I liked that this novel had well developed characters beyond the two main protagonists, as it dealt with two people with heavy loads to carry and unhappy pasts.
To be honest, my main criticism would be that if these two people had experienced the lives they had on paper, I doubt the resulting trauma would have been so easily overcome, but let’s put that down to my annoying ‘real world’ thoughts creeping into the story rather than faulting author, because I certainly wouldn’t reach for historical romance if I felt the urge for a dose of real life.
All up, I give this novel a rating of 3.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
As for our lonely lord, he was a perfect gentleman of course. He was a very serious and complicated man, but his supporting characters were all cleverly written to offset his moody temperament with lighthearted comedy. His pairing with Julia was well written too.
I liked that this novel had well developed characters beyond the two main protagonists, as it dealt with two people with heavy loads to carry and unhappy pasts.
To be honest, my main criticism would be that if these two people had experienced the lives they had on paper, I doubt the resulting trauma would have been so easily overcome, but let’s put that down to my annoying ‘real world’ thoughts creeping into the story rather than faulting author, because I certainly wouldn’t reach for historical romance if I felt the urge for a dose of real life.
All up, I give this novel a rating of 3.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
May 23, 2021
A Lovely Story
I do like Audrey Harrison's books, the plots are always different, admittedly there is a romance but the reaching of the conclusion is always engaging. I have had my copy of this book some time, and I know the cover has been changed, but I like the original, and am struck by this cover, the person looks so forlorn that my heart goes out to him. Audrey's books are generally well written but I admit there were one or two niggling errors with this, but she can be forgiven as I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The characters, well most of them were endearing, apart from Fanny, Lady Lever, Anthony's step-mother, it would have been interesting to know her background prior to marrying Anthony's father, I imagined her as being from a lower class, as she struck me as being a social climber!! A 'lady' would never have acted as she did in public.
All in all I thought it an excellent read and well worth the purchase.
I do like Audrey Harrison's books, the plots are always different, admittedly there is a romance but the reaching of the conclusion is always engaging. I have had my copy of this book some time, and I know the cover has been changed, but I like the original, and am struck by this cover, the person looks so forlorn that my heart goes out to him. Audrey's books are generally well written but I admit there were one or two niggling errors with this, but she can be forgiven as I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The characters, well most of them were endearing, apart from Fanny, Lady Lever, Anthony's step-mother, it would have been interesting to know her background prior to marrying Anthony's father, I imagined her as being from a lower class, as she struck me as being a social climber!! A 'lady' would never have acted as she did in public.
All in all I thought it an excellent read and well worth the purchase.
June 13, 2019
Excellent Characters Excellent Story!
The author has an excellent ability crafting and describing all of the characters in this story. As you read you feel that you are meeting these people and learning more about them each time that they appear. The author moves the story along. The dialogue is thoughtful and to the point. The language used and the manners of the characters are faithful to the Regency period. The novel demonstrates that the author has done a significant amount of research. The story is very good as you are introduced to a hero who is compassionate but who has challenging behaviors that are difficult to overcome. An excellent read. I gave my review a 4-4.5 because there were a few distracting spelling and grammatical errors.
The author has an excellent ability crafting and describing all of the characters in this story. As you read you feel that you are meeting these people and learning more about them each time that they appear. The author moves the story along. The dialogue is thoughtful and to the point. The language used and the manners of the characters are faithful to the Regency period. The novel demonstrates that the author has done a significant amount of research. The story is very good as you are introduced to a hero who is compassionate but who has challenging behaviors that are difficult to overcome. An excellent read. I gave my review a 4-4.5 because there were a few distracting spelling and grammatical errors.
September 15, 2019
Sensitively dealt with issues, Regency style.
Whilst I'm not a fan of flitting backwards and forwards between third and first person narrative, I believe it was needed in this offering which deals with people who find social interactions a struggle. For whatever reason social awkwardness leaves many on the periphery of society, excluding them from emotional security, confidence and self esteem. A handful of people look past this awkwardness to get the best out others. Julia does just that with Anthony who has endured social exclusion within and out side his family.
Mix that with the greed for social elevation by using the difficulty of others and you have an Audrey Harrison book to remember.
Whilst I'm not a fan of flitting backwards and forwards between third and first person narrative, I believe it was needed in this offering which deals with people who find social interactions a struggle. For whatever reason social awkwardness leaves many on the periphery of society, excluding them from emotional security, confidence and self esteem. A handful of people look past this awkwardness to get the best out others. Julia does just that with Anthony who has endured social exclusion within and out side his family.
Mix that with the greed for social elevation by using the difficulty of others and you have an Audrey Harrison book to remember.
June 20, 2023
Anthony Russell, the Lord of Lever, has a dilemma. According to his father's will, he has to marry by age 30 or lose much of his inheritance to his younger half-brother Giles. He meets Mrs. Julia Price, a youngish widow with a young son. He likes her, but is ill-equipped to woo her. His childhood was mostly spent alone with a nanny. His mother died young and his father ignored him. Julia is not impressed with him at first. He can be bluntly honest, not knowing the social graces. Will Anthony succeed in finding a wife in the months left before his birthday? Or will his stepmother succeed in keeping him from happiness so that her son can get the money? I thought the characters were well-rounded and interesting. I loved this book. Old-fashioned romance at its best.
January 11, 2020
Wonderful Regency Romance.
This is the first book I have read by Audrey Harrison but I doubt it will be my last. She is a wonderful writer. Amazing character development. Anthony is very withdrawn and has no understanding of social interactions. In today’s world, he would probably be diagnosed with a form of Asperger’s. You can feel his loneliness and I found myself crying for him on several occasions. Julia is struggling to overcome the effects of an abusive relationship. They are drawn to each other and their emotional connection evolves at a very natural and realistic pace. The epilogue was heartwarming. I would definitely recommend this book.
This is the first book I have read by Audrey Harrison but I doubt it will be my last. She is a wonderful writer. Amazing character development. Anthony is very withdrawn and has no understanding of social interactions. In today’s world, he would probably be diagnosed with a form of Asperger’s. You can feel his loneliness and I found myself crying for him on several occasions. Julia is struggling to overcome the effects of an abusive relationship. They are drawn to each other and their emotional connection evolves at a very natural and realistic pace. The epilogue was heartwarming. I would definitely recommend this book.
March 17, 2020
We get POVs from nearly everyone in the book.
There are both good and bad characters in this one, like in a fairytale, with the evil step-mother and two doting grandparents but also some characters who are a bit in-between.
Plot?
In the beginning, the story dragged a bit and I had some problems to get into it but after about 15-20% I grew to really like it, the characters and the subplots.
MCs?
An aloof and direct hero who does not have a way with words and a heroine whose first marriage was a huge mistake and who is now trying to stand up for herself more. She can be quite sassy and doesn't put up with the hero demeaning her.
There are both good and bad characters in this one, like in a fairytale, with the evil step-mother and two doting grandparents but also some characters who are a bit in-between.
Plot?
In the beginning, the story dragged a bit and I had some problems to get into it but after about 15-20% I grew to really like it, the characters and the subplots.
MCs?
An aloof and direct hero who does not have a way with words and a heroine whose first marriage was a huge mistake and who is now trying to stand up for herself more. She can be quite sassy and doesn't put up with the hero demeaning her.
August 18, 2020
A treasure of a story
This is such a wonderful story. Anthony's demeanor reminded me of an Aspie I used to know. Having lost his mother early & raised by an emotionally abusive father & stepmother he is withdrawn and awkward with people but kind & giving. He is totally unaware of social cues and brutally frank. Julia is a young widowed mother who is recovering from an abusive marriage. She is guarded about men and reactive to raised voices which were a prelude to raised fists in her marriage. Together they find love & it's enchanting to watch it happen. Julia's aunt and Anthony's uncle are their anchors & help promote this sweet love story.
This is such a wonderful story. Anthony's demeanor reminded me of an Aspie I used to know. Having lost his mother early & raised by an emotionally abusive father & stepmother he is withdrawn and awkward with people but kind & giving. He is totally unaware of social cues and brutally frank. Julia is a young widowed mother who is recovering from an abusive marriage. She is guarded about men and reactive to raised voices which were a prelude to raised fists in her marriage. Together they find love & it's enchanting to watch it happen. Julia's aunt and Anthony's uncle are their anchors & help promote this sweet love story.
June 25, 2019
A most poignant romance
With such a plethora of Regency romances available, this one really stands out. “Flawed” or “broken” characters is a common trope in Regency writing. But the insight into the characters of Julia and Antony makes this novel a standout. The evolution of the relationship is related with great sensitivity. Not many books make me cry these days, but this one did. The world building is excellent and issues of class, status and money are deftly woven into the plot. Highly recommended.
With such a plethora of Regency romances available, this one really stands out. “Flawed” or “broken” characters is a common trope in Regency writing. But the insight into the characters of Julia and Antony makes this novel a standout. The evolution of the relationship is related with great sensitivity. Not many books make me cry these days, but this one did. The world building is excellent and issues of class, status and money are deftly woven into the plot. Highly recommended.
June 28, 2019
Must marry before his thirtieth birthday or lose most of the money and property not entailed to his title. That is the decision lurking behind the motives that bring Anthony’s to Bath.
He meets Mrs. Julia Price, an impoverished widow with son, who is recovering from an abusive marriage.
Can this be what he needs to save his heritage? He needs to marry but is socially inept and has trouble connecting with people but must do this so that he can help those on his estate.
How they come together and find compatibility is the gist of the story.
He meets Mrs. Julia Price, an impoverished widow with son, who is recovering from an abusive marriage.
Can this be what he needs to save his heritage? He needs to marry but is socially inept and has trouble connecting with people but must do this so that he can help those on his estate.
How they come together and find compatibility is the gist of the story.
March 25, 2020
A lovely, heartwarming Regency romance.
Anthony and Julia make a lovely pair. Their teasing of each other lends a lot of humour to the story. Even though Anthony is socially awkward he is adorable. As he comes out of his shell and learns how to interact more in public it is impossible not to cheer him on, especially when he comes to the defence of Julia. The supporting characters add a lot of charm making this book an all round pleasing read. Highly recommended for fans of historical and Regency romance.
Anthony and Julia make a lovely pair. Their teasing of each other lends a lot of humour to the story. Even though Anthony is socially awkward he is adorable. As he comes out of his shell and learns how to interact more in public it is impossible not to cheer him on, especially when he comes to the defence of Julia. The supporting characters add a lot of charm making this book an all round pleasing read. Highly recommended for fans of historical and Regency romance.
April 25, 2020
Instant favourite!
I had to give this 5 stars for not only the plot and storytelling but tpurely out of affection if the characters. All the characters are well written and rounded but the two main protagonists have the added advantage of being complex in their feelings and have some great dialogue between them and the snappy banter takes this slow burning love story to a beautifully crafted end. Wish I could read more of their story. If you love regency romance you will adore this book.
I had to give this 5 stars for not only the plot and storytelling but tpurely out of affection if the characters. All the characters are well written and rounded but the two main protagonists have the added advantage of being complex in their feelings and have some great dialogue between them and the snappy banter takes this slow burning love story to a beautifully crafted end. Wish I could read more of their story. If you love regency romance you will adore this book.
May 15, 2021
Recognizing One's Soulmate
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book about two people who were harmed by neglect and abuse. I did wondered whether the hero had autism but I realized that his childhood caused his social awkwardness. I liked that he also told the truth even when inappropriate. It was not surprising that Mrs. Price reacted as she did because of the actions of her now-deceased husband, who was a loathsome cad. It was nice to see two good people who suffered much find joy in each other. Second chances at love and life is precious.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book about two people who were harmed by neglect and abuse. I did wondered whether the hero had autism but I realized that his childhood caused his social awkwardness. I liked that he also told the truth even when inappropriate. It was not surprising that Mrs. Price reacted as she did because of the actions of her now-deceased husband, who was a loathsome cad. It was nice to see two good people who suffered much find joy in each other. Second chances at love and life is precious.
June 26, 2019
The Lonely Lord By Audrey Harruson
Four stars, two people flawed, Anthony by being alone, abandon until his grandfather came...Julia, an abusive marriage carrying a lot of scares..Both are learning to express rather than hiding their emotions..That love can conquer or overcome the past to bring them together for their future..Little rough going with some misunderstandings...But they prevail in happiness at the end.
Four stars, two people flawed, Anthony by being alone, abandon until his grandfather came...Julia, an abusive marriage carrying a lot of scares..Both are learning to express rather than hiding their emotions..That love can conquer or overcome the past to bring them together for their future..Little rough going with some misunderstandings...But they prevail in happiness at the end.
July 10, 2022
Wonderful Story
Really enjoyed this book. I found the background information on our main characters to be touching and compelling. It enables the reader to relate to them and to feel for them. The characters were well developed and realistic. The storyline was original and captivating. The dialogue was engagingly humorous. And there weren’t any typos that I can remember. Thank you for a wonderful read.
Really enjoyed this book. I found the background information on our main characters to be touching and compelling. It enables the reader to relate to them and to feel for them. The characters were well developed and realistic. The storyline was original and captivating. The dialogue was engagingly humorous. And there weren’t any typos that I can remember. Thank you for a wonderful read.
June 11, 2025
the lonely lord
A compelling story about a socially awkward man and his growth spurred on by a widow who has demons of her own to overcome. A sensitive portrayal of the psyche of people who are different from the norm. The supporting characters help keep the story from becoming maudlin. All the characters are well developed and their interactions add to the richness of the story.
A compelling story about a socially awkward man and his growth spurred on by a widow who has demons of her own to overcome. A sensitive portrayal of the psyche of people who are different from the norm. The supporting characters help keep the story from becoming maudlin. All the characters are well developed and their interactions add to the richness of the story.
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