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Dancy #6
Miss Cheney's Charade
Aching for an exotic adventure, proper Emma Cheney dresses up as a man in order to attend the showing of a rare treasure at the mansion of Sir Peter Dancy--and finds love in an unexpected place. Original.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1994
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About the author
Emily Hendrickson
59 books22 followersDoris Emily Hendrickson lives in Reno, Nevada, with her husband, a retired airline pilot. Of all the many places she has traveled around the world, England is her favorite, and the most natural choice as the setting for her novels. In addition to her Regency romances, she has written a Regency Reference Book.
She is also the recipient of the Romantic Times award for the Best Regency of 1993 for Elizabeth's Rake and the Colorado Romance Writers 1997 Award of Excellence for The Debonair Duke. She is a nominee for the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Regency Romance.
Emily also enjoys stamps and stamping, and several of her flower designs, originally created for bookmarks for her Regencies, have been made into stamps.
Many of my books were re-published in England by Robert Hale Publishing House of London. My publisher requested that I use three pseudonyms for my English hard cover books. I chose the names: Emily Hendrickson, Emily Johnson, and Emily Harland.
She is also the recipient of the Romantic Times award for the Best Regency of 1993 for Elizabeth's Rake and the Colorado Romance Writers 1997 Award of Excellence for The Debonair Duke. She is a nominee for the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Regency Romance.
Emily also enjoys stamps and stamping, and several of her flower designs, originally created for bookmarks for her Regencies, have been made into stamps.
Many of my books were re-published in England by Robert Hale Publishing House of London. My publisher requested that I use three pseudonyms for my English hard cover books. I chose the names: Emily Hendrickson, Emily Johnson, and Emily Harland.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 10, 2014
Emma dresses up as her brother to hang out with this banging archaeologist named Peter. Adventures ensue!
1. The most scandalous part of this novel was the fact that Peter unwraps a mummy in his goddamned drawing room. THAT IS NOT PROPER CARE FOR ANCIENT ARTIFACTS OMFG.
2. I really didn't understand the tension between Emma and Peter at all? She thinks he doesn't want to marry her because...? He refuses to acknowledge that he knows she's dressing up as her brother because...? I don't? Why? Who are we? Why are we here?
3. AHAHA THE SUBROMANCE WAS A JOKE RIGHT.
4. It wasn't. Unfortunately.
5. THIS BOOK IS LITERALLY SO FORGETTABLE THAT I CAN BARELY REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED AND I ONLY FINISHED IT 10 HOURS AGO?? SORRY??
1. The most scandalous part of this novel was the fact that Peter unwraps a mummy in his goddamned drawing room. THAT IS NOT PROPER CARE FOR ANCIENT ARTIFACTS OMFG.
2. I really didn't understand the tension between Emma and Peter at all? She thinks he doesn't want to marry her because...? He refuses to acknowledge that he knows she's dressing up as her brother because...? I don't? Why? Who are we? Why are we here?
3. AHAHA THE SUBROMANCE WAS A JOKE RIGHT.
4. It wasn't. Unfortunately.
5. THIS BOOK IS LITERALLY SO FORGETTABLE THAT I CAN BARELY REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED AND I ONLY FINISHED IT 10 HOURS AGO?? SORRY??
August 5, 2016
MISS CHENEY'S CHARADE is one of the funniest Regencies I've read in a while. A lot of the humor comes from Sir Peter Dancy convincing Emma, dressed as his friend (her brother) George, that he doesn't see through her disguise one bit. Adding to her confusion is his apparent fascination with herself, that is when she's dressed as Emma, and his almost baiting remarks.
It's truly a delight to read about Emma's confusion in regards to Peter's intentions. Almost like fencing, a sport he begins to teach her halfway through the book, he makes a move towards her, she takes steps back and guards against.
Throughout the book references are made to events of the day—the grand re-opening of the Vauxhall Gardens and Napoleon's defeat. More specific to the story, the British Consul and French Consul's fight over the Egyptian antiquities found at dig sites throughout Egypt. Sometimes these make sense, but often the events just seem plopped in there. A remark or thought is made regarding them and then nothing more.
There is a certain amount of intrigue involved, as well as a secondary love story, but neither is as interesting as Emma trying desperately to keep her ruse going and Peter trying to convince her (as both George and herself) of his sincere intentions.
It's truly a delight to read about Emma's confusion in regards to Peter's intentions. Almost like fencing, a sport he begins to teach her halfway through the book, he makes a move towards her, she takes steps back and guards against.
Throughout the book references are made to events of the day—the grand re-opening of the Vauxhall Gardens and Napoleon's defeat. More specific to the story, the British Consul and French Consul's fight over the Egyptian antiquities found at dig sites throughout Egypt. Sometimes these make sense, but often the events just seem plopped in there. A remark or thought is made regarding them and then nothing more.
There is a certain amount of intrigue involved, as well as a secondary love story, but neither is as interesting as Emma trying desperately to keep her ruse going and Peter trying to convince her (as both George and herself) of his sincere intentions.
June 20, 2025
A highly improbable, rather silly piece of fluff. For all her vaunted intelligence, Emma Cheney was very slow on the uptake, but she & Peter Dancy are likeable characters, & there's a bit of humour that made this a pleasant if unremarkable read.
August 29, 2020
"Miss Cheney's Charade" by Emily Hendrickson 1994 #6 in the Dancy Series.
Women were "protected". They did not care for their own money and had limited money making opportunities. They were expected to marry.
Miss Emma Cheney had heard this over and over. Now she wanted adventure so when she found an invitation for her brother to an exhibition being put on by Sir Peter Dancy, she started to think of how she could attend. She came up with the idea of dressing as her brother. Need I say More? Is she unmasked? Sir Peter Dancy asked himself what would be the fun in that when he first met her. Fun story. Happy Reading! ReadingGenie
Women were "protected". They did not care for their own money and had limited money making opportunities. They were expected to marry.
Miss Emma Cheney had heard this over and over. Now she wanted adventure so when she found an invitation for her brother to an exhibition being put on by Sir Peter Dancy, she started to think of how she could attend. She came up with the idea of dressing as her brother. Need I say More? Is she unmasked? Sir Peter Dancy asked himself what would be the fun in that when he first met her. Fun story. Happy Reading! ReadingGenie
December 28, 2016
Masquerading, mummies, and marauders. Fun escapism.
For my full review: http://www.regrom.com/2016/12/28/emil...
For my full review: http://www.regrom.com/2016/12/28/emil...
February 22, 2013
The characters in this novel are loosely related to the ones introduced in The Fashionable Spy. Emma is a proper lady with an artistic talent and deep curiosity in Antiquities. She masquerades as her brother in order to attend the unrolling of a mummy by one of her idols. Peter isn't fooled but allows the charade to continue and is really happy to spend quality time with Emma aka George in an environment without the artifice and pressures of the Ton.
It's a cute story with light intrigue. Even the side story of Worcester and Amelia is nicely woven into the story. True, a lot if the plot is predictable but a lot of fun. If you are looking for light fun fare with a bit of intrigue, this novel will not disappoint.
It's a cute story with light intrigue. Even the side story of Worcester and Amelia is nicely woven into the story. True, a lot if the plot is predictable but a lot of fun. If you are looking for light fun fare with a bit of intrigue, this novel will not disappoint.
January 14, 2015
meh, cute at first, but dragged, also no real chemistry between the main characters. Felt like the hero needed an assistant, so he married one
September 25, 2009
Regency
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews