Nobody's Darling: A captivating saga of family, friendship and love

Josephine Cox

Dec 2010 · Hachette UK

About this ebook

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

In Nobody's Darling, Josephine Cox writes an unforgettable saga of family ties, friendship and having to make the difficult choice between love and duty. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Nadine Dorries.

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...

What readers are saying about Nobody's Darling:

'Fantastic read, full of wonderful characters and twists and turns. Really made you feel that you were living in that era'

'How vividly Josephine Cox writes... totally believable'

'Five stars'

Ratings and reviews

Josephine Cox has done it again what a top read

Excellent compelling story!@

Loved this book ...wonderful read.

About the author

Josephine Cox was born in a cotton-mill house 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 Cambridge University. She was unable to take this up as it would have meant living away from home, but she went into teaching - and started to write her first full-length novel. Her strong, gritty stories are taken from the tapestry of life.