Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Cecily

Rate this book
No matter that ravishing Miss. Her looks alone drew hordes of admirers. Then word of her fame reached the ears of Robert Ranleigh, who was shocked to discover that Miss Daingerfield-Nelson was none other than Cecily Hadley, a gently bred but penniless relation!

490 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1972

65 people are currently reading
156 people want to read

About the author

Clare Darcy

28 books57 followers
Born in Ohio.

Widely considered the best of those inspired by Georgette Heyer, Darcy wrote a number of regency romances with intelligent, sparkling heroines.

A pseudonym for Mary Deasy

Information for place of birth from the jacket of one of Ms Darcy's books

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
35 (15%)
4 stars
80 (35%)
3 stars
81 (36%)
2 stars
24 (10%)
1 star
3 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Mela.
2,016 reviews267 followers
November 27, 2017
I liked it. I am torn between 3 and 4 stars. But thinking of other Darcy's novels, which I rated at 4 stars, this one deserved rather 3 than 4.

[Important note: I am comparing only Clare Darcy's books. Three stars for her "Cecily" isn't the same as e.g. three stars for "Cut from the Same Cloth" by . I would say that "Cecily" was at least one star better than "Cut from the Same Cloth" by Kathleen Baldwin.]

Cecily's story was enjoyable. As QNPoohBear wrote: Cecily is very young and naive and whenever she tries to solve her problems, she ends up in a greater mess than ever before. Therefore her hero was an authoritative one. The plot was rather fast, so I wasn't bored.

But there was something missing. Perhaps some witty dialogues, perhaps more thoughtfulness of the story. I see, that it was one of Darcy's first books, it explains a lot. Nonetheless, it is still worth your time if you are a fan of Regency romances and you are searching what you haven't read yet ;-)
Profile Image for QNPoohBear.
3,583 reviews1,562 followers
November 12, 2013
Mr. Robert Ranleigh's friends are all agog over the newest actress come to town. The beautiful young ingenue Miss Dangerfield-Nelson has caught the eye of all the gentlemen of the town except for Mr. Ranleigh. The young lady seems disinterested in gentlemen but Mr. Ranleigh's cousin Lord Anthony Portandrew believes that every woman has heard of Mr. Ranleigh and would be honored to see him. Tony challenges his friend Sir Harry Breckonridge that Ranleigh can gain entree into the Green Room to meet Miss Dangerfield-Nelson. Mr. Ranleigh accepts the wager to prevent his cousin from losing money and looking like a fool. His request is met with acceptance by the young actress but then denied by the Female Dragon who serves as chaperone. However, Miss Dangerfield-Nelson requests Mr. Ranleigh to call upon her the following afternoon where she reveals that her name is actually Cecily Hadley, an impoverished distant relation of Mr. Ranleigh. She asks for his help in obtaining a suitable position as a governess. Ranleigh, concerned about Cecily's virtue and upset at the association with an actress, sends her off to his mother in the country. Cecily falls instantly in love with Mr. Ranleigh but thinks he sees her only as a tiresome child. Cecily is determined to prove she is grown-up and when a potentially dangerous situation gets out of control, she thinks she can handle it with nearly disastrous consequences.

This story closely resembles a Georgette Heyer novel with a naive young heroine and an authoritative hero. The plot was slow moving to begin with but picked up after a few chapters. Cecily is very young and naive and whenever she tries to solve her problems, she ends up in a greater mess than ever before. I am not a huge fan of the innocent, silly heroine plot. I found Cecily annoying and I found myself cringing in anticipation of her next disaster. I did find some parts amusing, especially with the colorful secondary characters. I would recommend this book to fans of Georgette Heyer's Friday's Child, Spring Muslin, and The Corinthian.
Profile Image for Abi Demina.
340 reviews25 followers
October 19, 2018
3.5 Stars.

I liked the ending of this one, because our hero, Robert Ranleigh, finally showed some emotion and it improved the story so much.
The main issue I had with the rest of this book was that for most of the story Cecily had absolutely no reason to fall in love with Robert. It made no sense to me. He's good looking, sure, but so is the 'villain' of the piece. He doesn't try to take advantage of her, but then neither did Lord Anthony, who also offered her marriage.
Robert is always abrupt to the point of rudeness, belittles her and calls her 'infant' as though she were an ignorant child. He sends her off to be a governess and is apparently happy to allow her to remain a governess for years until circumstances force him to act.

All told, I really thought Cecily would have been better off with Lord Anthony until the last few chapters of the novel where Robert finally becomes human and shows he cares.

Cecily acts in increasingly ridiculous ways to try to solve her problems, but I could get over that.
The main reason she was initially deemed unsuitable to marry into the 'ton' was because she had been an actress, but at the end that's still true, only she has now behaved in an even more scandalous manner - but it suddenly isn't an issue if a man only loves her enough to disregard it. Seemed a strange conclusion to make, but oh well.

So yes, there were plot holes galore and Robert Ranleigh did nothing to make me like him until the last few chapters of the book, but somehow I still enjoyed this story.
I'm a sucker for good regency writing and Clare Darcy at least keeps true to the period and doesn't feel the need to make her romances unnecessarily racy.

Not as good as Georgette Heyer, but then nobody is. A good, light, regency read.
401 reviews8 followers
May 29, 2010
Yeah, so I read this book. (I have my reasons. They are not what you think.)

This is a chaste romance with all the elements: virtuous girl whose virtue is imperiled, working hard to independently extricate herself from her unfortunate predicament, reformed rake who tries to help her but falls for her and becomes convinced she could never care for him, real cad whose dastardly deeds bring the plot to a head, happy ever after ending. Two lines from the end is the raciest line: "Are you going to kiss me again? I wish that you will!"

The names in this book are hilarious. The grammar is downright weird. However, since the "look how much I know about Regency England" details are deftly added, I would not be surprised to learn that there's some accuracy in that department. Still and all, I would go with modernization where accuracy just looks silly.

Speaking of silly, would you believe the plot is contrived? And the biggest hurdle of all suddenly turns out to be something everybody could just get over if they tried? Besides that, the sentences often seem needlessly convoluted. The book may be set in Regency England, but it was written in the 1970's, and trying to sound like Austen or Thackeray just looks, again, silly.
Profile Image for Diletta Nicastro.
297 reviews1 follower
March 5, 2025
'Cecily' è il secondo (di 14) romanzi regency scritto da Clare Darcy (pseudonimo di Mary Deasy, 1914-1978) e il sesto che leggo.
Come mi era accaduto con gli ultimi libri che avevo letto (in particolare 'Eugenia') ho notato che la scrittura, rispetto ad altri che avevo amato, aveva perso un po’ di verve e che i migliori erano decisamente quelli pubblicati in hardback rispetto a quelli usciti direttamente in paperback. Mi è sorto quindi spontaneo il dubbio che forse, essendo quelli in paperback più corti rispetto a quelli usciti in hardback, si trattasse di versioni non integrali dell’opera.
Ho controllato su internet ed in effetti ho scoperto che la versione in inglese conta almeno una cinquantina di pagine in più rispetto a quella italiana (50 pagine su 172 sono davvero moltissime!). Per quanto ci possano essere differenze di impaginatura, di font e di grandezza di carattere è assai verosimile pensare che il romanzo in italiano sia stato tagliato… Ma perché fanno queste cose? Io non sarò MAI d’accordo con le versioni riassunte di un libro. Non lo ero quando ero piccola, che chiedevo sempre l’edizione integrale di un romanzo (non mi importava se ci mettevo di più a leggerlo, volevo assaporare la storia nel suo complesso!), figuriamoci ora che sono adulta. Io credo che le versioni riassunte (ancor di più se non segnalato nel libro) dovrebbero essere messe fuori legge. E non sto scherzando.
Prendiamo 'Cecily'. Un lettore lo prende in mano dopo aver goduto della lettura di 'Allegra' e 'Elyza' (i due romanzi usciti in hardback e in versione integrale) e decide di acquistarlo. Non si aspetta di trovare una storia in cui si perde tutta quell’attenzione ai dettagli del mondo regency o agli aspetti dell’animo umano che tanto aveva affascinato nella lettura dei due libri precedenti.
Un romanzo non è solo una trama! Un romanzo è un modo di scrivere, è una passeggiata in un mondo, è un conoscere piano piano i personaggi. Se togli questo, togli tutto.

Detto questo, è difficile fare un commento su 'Cecily'. L’unico appunto che posso apportare è che il personaggio di Cecily, a mio avviso, non è verosimile. Nel senso che è innaturale che una dama di inizio Ottocento, che ha perduto tutti gli averi perché il padre li ha scialacquati al gioco, che ha la giusta educazione ma non i giusti mezzi, scappi via quando viene a sapere che l’impareggiabile Ranleigh vorrebbe chiedere la sua mano. Si convince, infatti, che lo faccia solo per pietà mentre lei cerca l’Amore.
Inverosimile!
Una donna in tale situazione all’epoca (tra l’altro anche innamorata del suo pretendente) avrebbe sicuramente accettato la proposta di matrimonio e non sarebbe scappata per mezza Inghilterra immischiandosi in impicci che la metà bastavano.
Complessivamente la parte migliore è quella che si svolge a Hillcourt, la residenza di campagna di Ranleigh, dove Cecily vive con la madre di Ranleigh per imparare a diventare un’istitutrice e si dà spazio al nipote di Ranleigh, il sedicenne Lord Neagle (che sicuramente nel romanzo originale era molto più approfondito, ma anche così rimane simpaticissimo), e al cugino (il Lord Portandrew della scommessa), che è infatuato di Cecily. Le situazioni sono deliziose e si respira per un attimo davvero l’umida e fredda campagna inglese.
Ripeto, però, che non posso dare un giudizio giusto e calibrato sull’opera (il che mi dispiace molto) e mi soffermo solo su alcuni dettagli.

Per leggere la recensione completa visita il mio blog: https://dilettanicastro.blogspot.com/...
Profile Image for Martin Rinehart.
Author 9 books9 followers
September 20, 2022
My library lent me a 1972 trilogy of Darcys, Cecily, Georgina and Lydia, in one well-bound volume. I love libraries! (This one is really too fat for bedtime reading, though.)

In each Darcy writes of the ton (the upper reaches of the Regency aristocracy) where the young men seek wives of grace, beauty and substantial dowry and the young ladies seek gentlemen of good breeding, respectable titles, strong physiques and large fortunes, even without a lady's dowry.

In each, Darcy writes classic romances with suitable heroines and heroes, one or the other starting altar shy until, near the end, awakening to the call of love. Always, her writing is almost as graceful as the dancing at Almack's. The dialog is rooted in the idioms of the day, seldom as formal as the characters in her novels. (She sounds like she is inspired by Heyer.)

In Cecily our heroine has just started a career on the stage, which was so shocking that she could not expect to re-enter the world of polite society. (If ever this dirty little secret becomes known.) She is pursued by 'gentlemen' who are NOT considering marriage. Her family fortune (in earlier generations it was a respectable fortune) is gone. Being educated, she seeks employment as a governess.

To say more would spoil this rather intricately knit plot. I look forward to more Darcy.

Profile Image for Bree Lewandowski.
Author 26 books910 followers
March 17, 2020
So, maybe I'm trash for this genre of book. I am. If you read other reviews on this book, you'll see that most people complain about how in the world these two characters fell in love. I've asked that question of far more recent books. What can I say? I'm a sucker for that broad-shouldered man who takes everything with a pensive nature until the very end where all his emotions burst forth. Lord Robert was there for Cecily every step of the way. If I'm gonna complain, it's gonna be about Cecily. Her naivete was crippling.
Am I reading another book by Ms. Darcy? Heck yes. The second in this trilogy, actually. For me, these types of books are guilty pleasure reading. I'm not looking for realism. Most of the time, when any reader picks up a book, they aren't looking for reality checks either, but a good story.
Profile Image for Sue.
Author 1 book40 followers
December 12, 2024
A light regency romance somewhat in the style of Georgette Heyer. The language, conversations and locations feel authentic, and there's a well-written, fast-paced plot. There are some likeable minor characters, too, although I didn't feel much empathy with either the heroine, Cecily, or the hero, the wealthy, handsome Mr Ranleigh.

I enjoyed re-reading this book for the first time in over twenty-five years, and had entirely forgotten the story. But it wasn't as amusing as Heyer's novels. Clare Darcy doesn't manage the satirical or ironic conversations that make me chuckle aloud, sometimes, when re-reading Heyer.

Still, I would recommend this if you like this style of light historical romance, and are looking for something similar to Heyer in style.

Longer review: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...
Profile Image for Shanze.
86 reviews8 followers
January 16, 2023
Like other readers I can’t quite give this one 4 stars. It lacked that certain wit and charm that other Darcy novels posses. However, this is still a good read. There’s nothing bad about it but at the same time it doesn’t shine and sparkle like ‘Regina’, ‘Eugenia’, ‘Georgina’, ‘Cressida’ or ‘Lady Pamela’.

3.5 Stars
Profile Image for Judith Hale Everett.
Author 11 books67 followers
December 20, 2019
Better than Georgina but still frustrating in that the love interests don’t INTERACT! Hardly. And yet they fall madly in love. I’m not feelin’ it. Language was nice though, flowed well, very period.
33 reviews
October 7, 2020
Wonderful

I highly recommend Clare Darcy's books. Very well-written with lots of humor and romance. If you like Georgette Heyer, you will like these.
Profile Image for Gabi Coatsworth.
Author 9 books204 followers
June 22, 2023
For fans of Georgette Heyer. The closest of all her imitators, in my view…
354 reviews1 follower
October 19, 2023
Stupid

An excessively stupid heroine in a plot stupid enough to match. This was maybe the worst of all the Clare darcy books i have read.
Profile Image for Kristyn Hogan.
47 reviews2 followers
September 23, 2024
The closest thing to Georgette Heyer I’ve found. Enjoyable reading, average storyline/ending. The romance is a little too remote to feel believable.
Profile Image for Anne Neville.
50 reviews2 followers
October 29, 2012
Cecily Hadley has had a hard time. Impoverished after her father's death, estranged from her morally-unacceptable uncle, and chaperoned only by the "dragon"-like Miss Dowie, Cecily has no recourse to support herself but the stage. And the stage is no respectable place for a proper young lady to be! In less than a week, the seemingly dreadful but rather pretty actress is already the rage of the ton. Then, she encounters Robert Ranleigh (of course, the "reigning gallant" of Regency London), who also happens to be a distant relation. Propriety requires that he save her (and their family's reputation) from disgrace by removing her from her awkward situation at once.

http://www.numbersonthespines.com/?p=...
Profile Image for Laura.
543 reviews3 followers
April 15, 2013
It was a little more than ok - maybe two and a half stars would be a better rating.

This one has your usual astonishingly beautiful Heroine with your standard handsome duke (or was he only a lord?). Guess what happens at the end? ;)

Clean.

I actually have a different edition than what is showing. I have the Regency Trio edition that contains Cecily, Georgiana, and Lydia. I haven't read the others yet.
Profile Image for Sarah.
814 reviews33 followers
June 11, 2019
Darcy writes the best Heyer clone I've encountered so far--the diction, the tone, the feel are right, if not a match for Ms. H in quality.

Unfortunately, this one was flimsy. The choices characters made didn't fully make sense, and the characters themselves weren't well drawn. It felt like promising juvenilia.
Profile Image for Pygmy.
463 reviews21 followers
November 22, 2010
Cute and clean period romance; the heroine is a bit lulzy silly in her attempts to solve her problems, but because everyone is so decorous, even the villains, it's hard to hold her stupidity against her. Most importantly, it is well written, so that's an automatic Yay! in my book.
498 reviews2 followers
October 9, 2008
Regency love story. My problem was I felt the story was so very unbelievable. She's 18 and he's 32. Not really much in common despite it being two hundred years ago. Well written and clean.
Profile Image for Amanda.
333 reviews
August 26, 2013
Very cute...this cover is hilarious though :). Reminiscent of Georgette Heyer with characters that aren't quite as flushed out or as witty. I enjoyed it though...and laughed out loud at least once.
Profile Image for Monica.
172 reviews16 followers
November 8, 2014
The kind of text which is good for translating exercises. Otherwise, the classic Cinderella story. Only Cinderella is way cooler and better written (spoken).
Profile Image for Stephanie.
1,381 reviews1 follower
September 3, 2015
This was Clare Darcy (Mary Deasy's) first publication. It's ok. I gave it a 4 because it has an interesting group of characters.
Profile Image for Kit.
183 reviews
July 15, 2016
Very similar to Georgette Heyer, fans of hers will enjoy this book and any others by Clare Darcy.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.