Nobody's Darling

by Josephine Cox

A young woman finds worldly success, but yearns for the gift of love...

Lizzie Miller worries about her beautiful eldest daughter. A mother shouldn't have favourites, but Ruby wins a special place in Lizzie's heart. Money is short in their little house in Blackburn, and Ruby yearns to give her beloved family a better life. Determined to enjoy the security only wealth can bring, she stifles her feelings for handsome Johnny Ackroyd. Ruby knows he cannot offer her the life she craves.

Ruby works as a maid for Mr Banks and his daughter, Cicely, a shy, gentle creature with few friends. The two girls hatch a mischievous plan to introduce Ruby to society at a party for the 'gentry' of Blackburn, where Ruby meets Luke Arnold, the dissolute heir to his father's fortunes. Seeing Ruby's dark beauty, he determines to despoil her innocence. When Luke slyly turns his charm on Cicely, Ruby feels compelled to warn her friend of his evil nature.

Ruby quickly finds employment in a milliner's shop, and eventually takes over the business. But her worldly success still leaves an emptiness that riches cannot fill, and Ruby learns at last that the love of family and friends is beyond price...

Genres: Fiction, Romance

612 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Josephine Cox was born in Blackburn, one of ten children. At the age of sixteen, Josephine met and married her husband Ken, and had two sons. When the boys started school, she decided to go to college and eventually gained a place at university but was unable to take this up as it would have meant living away from home. Instead, she went into teaching – and started to write her first full-length novel. She won the ‘Superwoman of Great Britain’ Award, for which her family had secretly entered her, at the same time as her novel was accepted for publication. She is now a No.1 bestselling author with over 40 books to her name.

She wrote dark psychological thrillers under the name Jane Brindle.

Reviews

[Shirley Revill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant story by Josephine Cox. Easy to read but very hard to put down.

[Lilly Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyable read, good story line and well written characters. Lovely cozy book.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 2 out of 5]

Front cover claims "in the grand tradition of Catherine Cookson" aims for moral of poor is happy, but I think fails. If you want to read romance glorifying poverty, this is your ticket, not mine. Stunningly gorgeous maid Ruby Miller, loved by stunningly handsome horse groom Johnny, has dreams of helping starving cold cramped family of five. Mother Lizzie is selfish and cruel, crushes her eldest daughter's dreams, desperate to conceal eldest's biological father kind "gentry" Jeffrey Banks back when both already married. Evil Luke Arnold hates his father Oliver, embezzles foundry funds by inferior suppliesmarries naive lonely Cicely, wrecks heroine's hat-making business and orders death of her da Ted. The kind fathers Oliver and Jeffrey save the Millers with their money, so ending where Ruby marries Johnny and Luke falls into cauldron of molten metal with innocent young policeman seems phony -- poor does not bring happiness. Teresa Arnold is villainess, seducing Johnny, but the scenes with her, then Ruby feel gratuituous. "In that glorious moment when he entered her, she uttered his name. The way she looked at him told him everything he needed to know" p453.

Definition
p78 "children's pobs" (by context) bread and milk child's meal for tea-time

[Janet Randon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one, another splendid read from J Cox.

[Roz Radmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruby is the eldest child in the Miller family . Her mother Lizzie adores her , but has a guilty secret . Ruby is not like her younger siblings . She hates the fact that they live just above the poverty line . Her dream is to lift the family up into a richer life style . Working as a lady's maid gives her the taste for the finer things in life , but one foolish idea costs her her job . It will be a long time before Ruby learns that friends and family are worth more than money alone .

[Neera Kapahi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the book absolutely mesmerizing. It is about relationships and life. It is set in England in the late eighteen hundreds. The protagonist, Ruby is very likable and ambitious. The story deals with the class differences at that time.

This is my first book by Josephine Cox and I love her leisurely style of writing. We are made familiar with the day to day lives of the characters and their complexities.

[Mrs J A Saxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love always finds a way

This book is full of ups and downs in Ruby's life. Working hard to achieve her dream but in reality is it the dream she really wants? A brilliant book that will keep you wanting to read more and more.

[Ram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nobody’s Darling is a capacious and compassionate historical family saga, rendered with the emotional amplitude that has become Josephine Cox’s unmistakable hallmark. More at

https://vramonline.wordpress.com/2026...

[edna moran · Rating 3 out of 5]

My opinion on Nobody's Darling.

Nobody's darling was an ok read. I felt that it was a bit slow and boring in some parts. Not one of Josephine Cox' best books.

[Joan Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saga

Another gripping story from a brilliant author, but I shouldn't be surprised as I haven't read a book of hers that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed.

[Sapna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another lovely book by the author, enjoyable from start to finish. Good easy reading and would totally recommend it.

[Monica Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another brilliant novel. A real page turner with a few twists. Thoroughly recommend.

[Sally Hogston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruby

Slow s start but a brilliant read very captivating and a good storyline. Loved this book. Looking forward to reading her next book

[Pamela Bladen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Reading

All the story needed to make a fabulous ending & finale that warmed the hearts and minds of readers , everywhere well done

[JANICE SCOTT]

Enjoyable read

Loved Ruby and her story. We!l written and I could see all the characters in my minds eye. Good read.

[Ellen B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit long and predictable. Happy ending, all loose ends tied up.

[Lizette Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical Fiction. A lovely story with a twist.

[Anne Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

There were times I wanted to put this book down as it was desperately sad. But I'm glad I continued. What a wonderful story with so m any twists and turns

[Lucy-Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

I do love a Josephine Cox novel and this one didn't disappoint. I really enjoyed this and glad it ended how it did!

[Darla Van · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this enough to choose another book by the same author from the lending library at Westhaven Bay in Tenerife.

It was light reading for the pool or to pass the time, a nice romantic tale about a very strong woman character, and the struggles of her family.

[Jamie Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this on holiday when I ran out of books and had to read my nana's. It wasn't too bad.

Ruby is the poor relation, who gets sent off to her wicked uncle, things are not very pleasant but it all works out in the end.