Love's Shadow

The first in a trilogy of books known together as 'The Little Ottleys', this is a sparkling social comedy set in Edwardian London. Ada Leverson was a great friend and staunch supporter of Oscar Wilde and shared his love for sharp, witty writing. Like Wilde, her work is characterised by a wonderful ear for dialogue and deft characterization. 'Love's Shadow' introduces us to Bruce and Edith Ottley and their friends, who are to all appearances living the bright and carefree lives of the well-to-do. But there are cracks appearing in the facade. Bruce is staggeringly self-obsessed, a hypochondriac and a spendthrift, and Edith must learn to manage her stubborn, exasperating husband. Meanwhile their friends attempt to navigate the rocky rapids of love and marriage with varying degrees of success, and keep us thoroughly entertained along the way. ( Helen Taylor) (5 hr 45 min)

Chapters

Chapter 1: Hyacinth	10:14	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 2: The Anxieties of Sir Charles	10:47	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 3: Anne Yeo	7:15	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 4: The Sound Sense of Lady Cannon	9:27	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 5: A Proposal	7:37	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 6: The Little Ottleys	5:14	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 7: Hyacinth's Little Dinner	11:51	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 8: Lord Selsey	8:01	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 9: The Peculiarities of Raggett	7:47	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 10: A Musical Afternoon	9:15	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 11: The Troubles of the Ottleys	8:12	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 12: At the National Gallery	8:23	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 13: More of the Little Ottleys	12:02	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 14: Lady Cannon's Visit	9:53	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 15: Raggett in Love	14:21	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 16: Archie	7:33	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 17: Bruce's Play	6:34	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 18: Hyacinth Waits	12:10	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 19: Eugenia	10:06	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 20: Bruce Has Influenza	7:47	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 21: Engaged	8:24	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 22: The Strange Behaviour of Anne	6:09	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 23: Bruce Convalescent	6:48	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 24: The Wedding	8:36	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 25: Accounts	9:44	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 26: Confidences	9:28	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 27: Miss Wrenner	8:38	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 28: Anne Returns	9:18	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 29: The Ingratitude of Mitchell	10:23	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 30: Mitchell Behaves Decently	10:31	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 31: Jane's Sister	8:10	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 32: The Drive	7:54	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 33: The Quarrel	11:29	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 34: Anne and Eugenia	5:51	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 35: That Woman	7:23	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 36: Raggett's Sense of Humour	8:20	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 37: Sir Charles	8:05	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 38: Rehearsing	7:33	Read by Helen Taylor
Chapter 39: The Solution	7:48	Read by Helen Taylor

Reviews

(4 stars)

Lori K

Nice reading. Witty story. Bruce is a scheming, lying, selfish ass. I laughed well when Edith asked him to watch their son, Archie, for a few minutes. Why Edith or anyone would marry Bruce is beyond me. At least it seems she knows how to handle him & finally does it best at the end. Librevox has the 2nd book in the trilogy (Tenterhooks) but not the 3rd. I hope it will soon.

Enjoyable

(4 stars)

sarahm

Enjoyable and humorous, but since relationship-humor has been a stable of TV, movies and books for so long now, I wonder if I can really appreciate the work as written. Probably not, but I am curious to read the rest of the series. Helen Taylor's reading was, as always, superb - I am now following you on Twitter, Helen.

Humorous & Victorian

(2.5 stars)

Angels Walk

This is full of typical characters for it's generation, with great humor & a heroine one wishes would step away from convention long enough to belt her spouse just once! LibriVox Volunteer, Helen Taylor is wonderfully talented.

News of future recordings

(0 stars)

Helsbelles

Hi - I'm the reader of this book. If you enjoy it and would like to know when more of my recordings are published, please follow me on Twitter @111Hels for updates!

(5 stars)

SPARKY

Sparky. Loved this! Quirky… tale of the times…believable characters…funny bits..,easy to fall in with the plot…such as it was…so enjoyable…the reader was perfection. For any American who lived long in England this story is understandable

loves shadow review

(4.5 stars)

A LibriVox Listener

it's a cute book the reader is fabulous but the but just seems to end abruptly, I'm sure the author could have thought of something more creative and inventive