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A Regency Trio
Contains three stories by Darcy
Cecily or A Young Lady of Quality; Georgina; and Lydia or Love in Town
Cecily or A Young Lady of Quality; Georgina; and Lydia or Love in Town
600 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1976
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About the author
Clare Darcy
28 books57 followersBorn 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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June 11, 2017Yet another book club edition with no ISBN, this omnibus contains three stories: Cecily, Georgina, and Lydia.
Cecily (read June 7, 2017) Cecily is a young girl who has gone on the stage in an effort to support herself and her protective aunt. She is much sought after by all the young bloods, and when Robert Ranleigh attends the play and goes to the green room afterwards, he is talked into a bet that he cannot get her to go to dinner with him. However, she accepts, because she knows she is distantly connected to his family and desires his help. He and his mother remove her from the theater, where she has been using an assumed name, and find her a governess job as desired by her aunt. However, her past catches up with her there, and she flees to her aunt's miserly brother, for lack of a better place to go. He attempts to marry her off to a local farmer, but Mr. Ranleigh and her aunt find her just in time. She has a tendre for Mr. Ranleigh, and refuses marriage with anyone else, although she feels that Ranleigh doesn't like her. Once again, she returns to the stage, disguising herself as a boy in order to get to London. Ranleigh is searching everywhere for her, and eventually finds her on the stage again, and finally proposes.
Georgina (Read June 8, 2017) This was a charming one. For a change, it takes place mostly in Ireland, as well as some scenes in England. After refusing a suitor, Georgina is sent off by her grandmother and mother to stay with her cousin in Ireland. The cousin has an ulterior motive - she wants to hook Georgina up with her son Brandon, since Georgina will probably inherit her grandmother's money. When Georgina arrives, the house (The Place at the Oaks) is topsy-turvey, because they are supposed to be moving to a smaller place. The owner of The Place, Mark Shannon, has inherited it from his dead wife Nuala, another cousin of Georgina's. All the folk in the neighborhood, including Georgina, are prepared to hate him, since Nuala ran off with him and then died.Her cousin, Bella, is especially angry because she feels she is being thrown out of her home, even though it belongs to him. When Bella is injured falling down the stairs, they must all remain there until she is better. When the neighbors cut Shannon, Georgina begins to feel obliged to champion him, getting herself into more trouble with her attempts (which he does not appreciate.) One of the neighbors tells her there is a dark story behind Nuala's death, and when Georgina asks Shannon, he appears to say it is true. Georgina goes back to Bath, where her mother and grandmother have more suitors for her to refuse. After receiving a letter from Brandon, she feels she must go back to Ireland to prevent Shannon from turning his house over to her and going to America. Her mother and grandmother follow, and of course there are mighty brawls among all the women. As usual, the story ends happily.
Lydia (read June 10, 2017) This was probably the best of the three. Lord Northover arrives unexpectedly at his home to find the Leylands - Lydia, her brother Bayard, and their grandmother in temporary residence. They are newly arrived from Louisiana in America and the house used to belong to their family. They plan to make a splash in society, hoping to get their grandmother's brother-in-law Sir Basil to make Bayard his heir, since they are without funds. Sir Bayard's man of business decides to sponsor them "on spec", since he hopes they will keep their business in his hands, which their rivals, the Pentonys, probably will not. Lydia is looking for a rich husband in the meantime, but Bayard falls in love with a young girl with little money. Lydia must do a lot of scheming to stay ahead of her would-be suitors, Bayard's love affair, and the Pentony's machinations, and of course lands herself in trouble several times. Lord Northover manages to rescue her a few times, and although she claims to hate him, she begins to wonder if she really does. I can't spoil the story by telling any more, but it is a funny and enjoyable read all the way through!
Cecily (read June 7, 2017) Cecily is a young girl who has gone on the stage in an effort to support herself and her protective aunt. She is much sought after by all the young bloods, and when Robert Ranleigh attends the play and goes to the green room afterwards, he is talked into a bet that he cannot get her to go to dinner with him. However, she accepts, because she knows she is distantly connected to his family and desires his help. He and his mother remove her from the theater, where she has been using an assumed name, and find her a governess job as desired by her aunt. However, her past catches up with her there, and she flees to her aunt's miserly brother, for lack of a better place to go. He attempts to marry her off to a local farmer, but Mr. Ranleigh and her aunt find her just in time. She has a tendre for Mr. Ranleigh, and refuses marriage with anyone else, although she feels that Ranleigh doesn't like her. Once again, she returns to the stage, disguising herself as a boy in order to get to London. Ranleigh is searching everywhere for her, and eventually finds her on the stage again, and finally proposes.
Georgina (Read June 8, 2017) This was a charming one. For a change, it takes place mostly in Ireland, as well as some scenes in England. After refusing a suitor, Georgina is sent off by her grandmother and mother to stay with her cousin in Ireland. The cousin has an ulterior motive - she wants to hook Georgina up with her son Brandon, since Georgina will probably inherit her grandmother's money. When Georgina arrives, the house (The Place at the Oaks) is topsy-turvey, because they are supposed to be moving to a smaller place. The owner of The Place, Mark Shannon, has inherited it from his dead wife Nuala, another cousin of Georgina's. All the folk in the neighborhood, including Georgina, are prepared to hate him, since Nuala ran off with him and then died.Her cousin, Bella, is especially angry because she feels she is being thrown out of her home, even though it belongs to him. When Bella is injured falling down the stairs, they must all remain there until she is better. When the neighbors cut Shannon, Georgina begins to feel obliged to champion him, getting herself into more trouble with her attempts (which he does not appreciate.) One of the neighbors tells her there is a dark story behind Nuala's death, and when Georgina asks Shannon, he appears to say it is true. Georgina goes back to Bath, where her mother and grandmother have more suitors for her to refuse. After receiving a letter from Brandon, she feels she must go back to Ireland to prevent Shannon from turning his house over to her and going to America. Her mother and grandmother follow, and of course there are mighty brawls among all the women. As usual, the story ends happily.
Lydia (read June 10, 2017) This was probably the best of the three. Lord Northover arrives unexpectedly at his home to find the Leylands - Lydia, her brother Bayard, and their grandmother in temporary residence. They are newly arrived from Louisiana in America and the house used to belong to their family. They plan to make a splash in society, hoping to get their grandmother's brother-in-law Sir Basil to make Bayard his heir, since they are without funds. Sir Bayard's man of business decides to sponsor them "on spec", since he hopes they will keep their business in his hands, which their rivals, the Pentonys, probably will not. Lydia is looking for a rich husband in the meantime, but Bayard falls in love with a young girl with little money. Lydia must do a lot of scheming to stay ahead of her would-be suitors, Bayard's love affair, and the Pentony's machinations, and of course lands herself in trouble several times. Lord Northover manages to rescue her a few times, and although she claims to hate him, she begins to wonder if she really does. I can't spoil the story by telling any more, but it is a funny and enjoyable read all the way through!
April 10, 2020
A trio of full-length novels by Clare Darcy. Cecily is the story of a young lady who takes to the stage to support herself and her aunt. Mr. Ranleigh is a distant cousin who helps her find more suitable work for a young lady. Cecily gets up to some amusing hijinks in this one, and Mr. Ranleigh is there to pull her out of trouble. The romance was a little far-fetched, but still sweet!
In Georgina, we follow a young lady who refuses the match her grandmother and mother wish for her. She is sent to a cousin in Ireland where she meets the husband of a dead cousin, Shannon. Although Georgina dislikes Shannon at first, she comes to see that she is the one in the wrong. She does her best to change the opinion of those around her, with sometimes disastrous results. Georgina is steadier than Cecily was. My only criticism is that we never really get to know Shannon.
Lydia, or Love In Town, follows a young lady raised in America who has come to London to improve her family's fortune. She sets about to charm herself a rich husband, and does her best to help her brother, who has fallen head over heels in love with a penniless lady himself. She matches wits with Lord Northover, the man who owned the estate Lydia's grandmother grew up on. There is adventure and romance to be had.
Overall, these three books were each fun in their own way. I love the author's nod to Georgette Heyer's style of writing. For readers looking for clean, amusing Regency reads, I definitely recommend these.
In Georgina, we follow a young lady who refuses the match her grandmother and mother wish for her. She is sent to a cousin in Ireland where she meets the husband of a dead cousin, Shannon. Although Georgina dislikes Shannon at first, she comes to see that she is the one in the wrong. She does her best to change the opinion of those around her, with sometimes disastrous results. Georgina is steadier than Cecily was. My only criticism is that we never really get to know Shannon.
Lydia, or Love In Town, follows a young lady raised in America who has come to London to improve her family's fortune. She sets about to charm herself a rich husband, and does her best to help her brother, who has fallen head over heels in love with a penniless lady himself. She matches wits with Lord Northover, the man who owned the estate Lydia's grandmother grew up on. There is adventure and romance to be had.
Overall, these three books were each fun in their own way. I love the author's nod to Georgette Heyer's style of writing. For readers looking for clean, amusing Regency reads, I definitely recommend these.
March 11, 2017
Georgette Heyer fans will love!!!!!
January 10, 2019
At long last, I am giving up. I loved the first two stories, but I have struggled mightily with Lydia. It seems impossible to feel kindly toward a girl named Lydia. Thank you, Jane Austen.
Perhaps at some point in the future, I will pick up the book and quietly finish it. But I can't tolerate having it scold me every time I see my Currently Reading page.
Perhaps at some point in the future, I will pick up the book and quietly finish it. But I can't tolerate having it scold me every time I see my Currently Reading page.
March 25, 2010
This book is mostly amazing because it is hilarious....and that's really all I have to say about that.
January 30, 2016
The third story was the best, very close to Georgette Heyer.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews