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A Small Slice of Summer

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Fate stepped in…Letitia Marsden had decided that men were not to be trusted. Then she met Dr. Jason Mourik van Nie, and he changed her mind.Learning to trust again wasn’t easy for either of them. This time, Letitia vowed, there would be a happy ending. But then Jason got the wrong idea about one of her male friends….Could a chance meeting set it right? Surely fate wasn’t going to let a simple misapprehension stand in the way of true love?

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1975

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About the author

Betty Neels

564 books409 followers
Evelyn Jessy "Betty" Neels was born on September 15, 1910 in Devon to a family with firm roots in the civil service. She said she had a blissfully happy childhood and teenage years.(This stood her in good stead later for the tribulations to come with the Second World War). She was sent away to boarding school, and then went on to train as a nurse, gaining her SRN and SCM, that is, State Registered Nurse and State Certificate of Midwifery.

In 1939 she was called up to the Territorial Army Nursing Service, which later became the Queen Alexandra Reserves, and was sent to France with the Casualty Clearing Station. This comprised eight nursing sisters, including Betty, to 100 men! In other circumstances, she thought that might have been quite thrilling! When France was invaded in 1940, all the nursing sisters managed to escape in the charge of an army major, undertaking a lengthy and terrifying journey to Boulogne in an ambulance. They were incredibly fortunate to be put on the last hospital ship to be leaving the port of Boulogne. But Betty's war didn't end there, for she was posted to Scotland, and then on to Northern Ireland, where she met her Dutch husband. He was a seaman aboard a minesweeper, which was bombed. He survived and was sent to the south of Holland to guard the sluices. However, when they had to abandon their post, they were told to escape if they could, and along with a small number of other men, he marched into Belgium. They stole a ship and managed to get it across the Channel to Dover before being transferred to the Atlantic run on the convoys. Sadly he became ill, and that was when he was transferred to hospital in Northern Ireland, where he met Betty. They eventually married, and were blessed with a daughter. They were posted to London, but were bombed out. As with most of the population, they made the best of things.

When the war finally ended, she and her husband were repatriated to Holland. As his family had believed he had died when his ship went down, this was a very emotional homecoming. The small family lived in Holland for 13 years, and Betty resumed her nursing career there. When they decided to return to England, Betty continued her nursing and when she eventually retired she had reached the position of night superintendent.

Betty Neels began writing almost by accident. She had retired from nursing, but her inquiring mind had no intention of vegetating, and her new career was born when she heard a lady in her local library bemoaning the lack of good romance novels. There was little in Betty's background to suggest that she might eventually become a much-loved novelist.

Her first book, Sister Peters in Amsterdam, was published in 1969, and by dint of often writing four books a year, she eventually completed 134 books. She was always quite firm upon the point that the Dutch doctors who frequently appeared in her stories were *not* based upon her husband, but rather upon an amalgam of several of the doctors she met while nursing in Holland.

To her millions of fans around the world, Betty Neels epitomized romance. She was always amazed and touched that her books were so widely appreciated. She never sought plaudits and remained a very private person, but it made her very happy to know that she brought such pleasure to so many readers, while herself gaining a quiet joy from spinning her stories. It is perhaps a reflection of her upbringing in an earlier time that the men and women who peopled her stories have a kindliness and good manners, coupled to honesty and integrity, that is not always present in our modern world. Her myriad of fans found a warmth and a reassurance of a better world in her stories, along with characters who touched the heart, which is all and more than one could ask of a romance writer. She received a great deal of fan mail, and there was always a comment upon the fascinating places she visited in her stories. Quite often those of her fans fortunate enough to visit Ho

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5 stars
218 (45%)
4 stars
146 (30%)
3 stars
98 (20%)
2 stars
17 (3%)
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4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Lynn Spencer.
1,408 reviews85 followers
September 15, 2012
Sometimes I like reading Betty Neels when I'm in the mood for a sweet, Old-fashioned read. This one just isn't one of her best. The heroine, Letitia (called "Tishy" most of the time - gack!) drove me nuts. Neels' heroines tend toward the meek and self-effacing, but the heroines in her best books tend to have spines and good sense. Tishy's a little lacking in that department. Also, her irrational hatred of men, which all ties back to her turning a man down for a romantic weekend and then being told she's old-fashioned and not so pretty, drove me nuts. The hero's attraction to cold, scowling Tishy also didn't make a whole lot of sense. It wasn't awful, but not my favorite.
Profile Image for Kay.
1,906 reviews125 followers
May 14, 2014
4 1/2 Stars ~ Letitia, 23, is a Staff Nurse in a busy recovery room in a London hospital. Jason is filling in while Julius, the OR anesthesiologist, is on holiday. He doesn't really think much of the rather plain and stern faced staff nurse, until he's dining with Julius and his wife Georgina, and learns that Tishy scowls at all men under 50, having been jilted by the Medical Registrar. And as Georgina is plotting with Julius to get Jason and Tishy together, Tishy is accidentally pushed right in front of Jason's car, turning her ankle badly. She was on her way to the train to visit her aunt for her days off. He scoops her up and decides the best place for her is with Julius and Georgina, where they'll decide how badly the ankle is hurt. Both doctors agree, that Georgina needs a week totally off her ankle and then a week to recover. Jason is a frequent visitor to his friend, Julius, and noting that Tishy is "a very touchy girl", he tells her not to be "so damned sensitive" and that he's "ever so safe, like an uncle". This breaks the ice, and Tishy finds herself opening up and relaxing. And while Leticia finds herself falling in love with Jason, back at work, she overhears Jason discussing her with Julius, and realizes that he's only been friendly because he feels sorry for her.

Jason is a rather different hero for Betty Neels. Of course, he's the blond, tall and broad-shouldered Dutch doctor; 35 and a popular bachelor; and yet, when it comes to Leticia, he admits to being clumsy in his choice of words. She's constantly misinterpreting what he says, and gets the impression that he's indifferent to her and tolerates her only because of their mutual friendship with Georgina and Julius. After her jilting experience, Tishy protects her pride and hides her growing feelings behind a cool face to Jason while offering a light-hearted and eager face to Julius' younger cousin, Karel. Jason can't help but think Leticia prefers the younger man, even so he persists but is knocked back once again because Leticia is certain he only feels sorry for her.

These two were always trying to read each other and kept getting it wrong. Jason, at first, had to deal with her closed heart and just as he finally got her to open up, he thought he had lost her to Karel. Leticia's heart may have forgotten the Medical Registrar, but her mind couldn't quite get rid of the hurtful things he had said, and so she could only think Jason's attentions were because he pitied her. Unique for a Betty Neels, we're given small moments from Jason's point of view reinforcing just how much he truly had fallen for Leticia. Ms. Neels gives these two a sigh worthy HEA.
Profile Image for Pamela Shropshire.
1,453 reviews72 followers
January 15, 2016
The last time I read this book, I was not very impressed. Tishy annoyed me with her misandry due to the Unfortunate Experience with the Medical Registrar.

This time, however, I found I had much more sympathy for her and enjoyed the book very much.

Letitia Marsden is a struggling, newly qualified recovery room Staff Nurse and one of five daughters of a country rector. Her older sister, Margo, is the best friend of Georgina Rodman van den Berg Eyffert. While Julius is on holiday from the hospital, HIS best friend comes to replace him - Jason Mourik van Nie.

George decides that Tishy and Jason would make a perfect couple and so she throws them together as much as possible. It works, although as Julius tells her, only because Jason wants to marry Tishy.

Letitia rescues some gypsies with typhoid, then helps save George and Polly, then Jason himself, from an angry bull. She also babysits Polly and Ivo. She's really quite plucky, except for the chip on her shoulder about being plain and her objections to being repeatedly called a "nice girl" -- I totally understand that feeling!

This one doesn't have many scenic and food descriptions, but makes up for that with lovely scenes en famille with the Eyfferts and their cousins. 4 stars.
Profile Image for Teri-K.
2,481 reviews53 followers
November 27, 2024
Pretty typical Neels story, with a British nurse and Dutch doctor, the story moves between the two characters to a happy ending, of course. There are pretty close, interesting meals and lovely old houses. What this book didn't have was any nasty characters - no selfish parents or siblings, or scheming other women. Their relationship just slowly unwinds in a pretty satisfying way. 3.5 stars I'll round up.
Profile Image for Evelyn.
Author 1 book33 followers
October 19, 2022
This was sort of a continuation of the story of Julius and Georgina from "Damsel in Green". Now it is four years later, they have two young children as well as Julius's young cousins in their crowded home. Letitia works in the recovery room at St. Athel's where Julius is an anesthetist. When Julius takes some time off, Jason, a family friend fills in for him. Letitia is quick to fall for him, but there are obstacles in the way. One thing is that he misreads the relationship between "Tishy" and Julius's young cousin Karel. Karel is now a young surgeon himself and closer to Tishy in age.
Profile Image for Fiona Marsden.
Author 37 books148 followers
March 6, 2014
I'm not sure why, but I got quite emotional in this one. Perhaps it was when the elderly Dutch gentleman said to Letitia that she was having her slice of Summer and she said a small slice of Summer, because she believed it was over. *sniff*

Letitia, Tishy is the younger sister of Georgina from Damsel in Green's best friend. So she knows Julius and Georgie quite well. When Jason Mourik van Nie comes to relieve Julius while he has his holiday, he works with Tishy who is a recovery room nurse in theatre.

Unfortunately she is still recovering from a romance that ended when she refused to go away for a weekend with her boyfriend and he said some rather nasty things. When Jason gets to know her, he assumes an almost paternal air and with some nudging from Georgina they have opportunities to develop a friendship. Unfortunately, just as things are coming together, he gets the wrong idea about Karel, Julius' young cousin who is more Tishy's age.

This was a very sweet story and Mourik was a lovely hero. It was nice to see Georgina and Julius and the family again, even Uncle Ivo. The ending was cute.
62 reviews
June 17, 2015
A delightful story about Letitia and Jason

After reading Damsel in Green I wanted to read this story because Georgina and Julius are in it and now married with two children. Although Letitia is a plain girl she is fun and smart and not a mouse . She has known Georgina because her sister and Georgina are friends . She meets Jason at the hospital when he is filling in for Julius who is on vacation . Jason is godfather to Julius children and both Julius and Jason are anesthesiologist from Holland . The story has a lot of interesting parts , like helping sick gypsies and more . I really enjoyed the story a lot.
Profile Image for Deava101.
57 reviews11 followers
July 20, 2012
Poor little Tishy, so plain and suffering from a heartbreak, she will never trust another man who is under 50 years old unless it is her friend Julius...Then the temporary anesthesiologist and charming Jason comes in and disrupt her life. He is funny and she is just so adorable. I love the little matchmaking their friend Georgina had in mind but when everyone got the wrong idea about Tishy and her male friend, Jason smiles his way through her barriers and let her know he doesn't give up easy. I especially loved the ending. My definite favorite from Ms Neels.
Profile Image for Tonya Warner.
1,214 reviews13 followers
Read
July 27, 2011
Letitia is a plain girl that falls for a giant, Jason.



A really sweet story.
1,455 reviews
October 7, 2013
I always like it when characters from previous books make an appearance. It's nice to have an update on their lives.
Profile Image for Mudpie.
861 reviews7 followers
April 17, 2018
A sweet and delightful book! Georgina and Julius from Damsel in Green play important roles in this romance between Letitia and Jason. Letitia or Tishy, had sworn off all men and disliked any below age 50. Boys exempted...and Karel I guess because he and Julius seemed more brotherly than...male. Jason was a confirmed bachelor who still felt envy seeing Julius and Georgina together. By this time They've had a girl Polly, and a baby boy Ivo, named after Great Uncle. It was great to catch up with all the kids from Damsel in Green!

It's the little things in this book that I love: how the young nurses economised by giving up pudding or 'extras' if they bought a new dress or shoes, or they had to save the fare to travel home in the country for a visit. When Letitia artlessly told Jason her meal budget...and how he gamely had eggS and chips to keep Letitia company. Letitia running along corridors even though it's against the rules and putting nails in the walls in Nurses Home to hang pictures.

Betty Neels letting us have a glimpse into the lives of doctors and nurses in the 70s was one of the reasons her tales are so beloved and classic!

There are no big dramas here, only the big misunderstanding that Letitia loved Karel. That cleared up pretty quickly thanks to Jason not giving up but dammit it was still chancey. What if he had not seen Karel and his Mary?!

Jason overplayed the avuncular role when he tried not to frighten Letitia off.

I am amused he's got FIVE sisters while Letitia had four! No wonder he and Mr Marsden clicked so well...the outnumbered lone male haha!

Overall Letitia (I don't care for "Tishy") was a very young heroine, a bit immature and irrational/ moody! Jason was right to call her overly sensitive and touchy, but I sympathise with her. That cad Mike? The medical registrar who dumped Letitia because she was too old fashioned to go away on the weekend. Then further added insult to injury by saying he's sorry she felt jilted because it was never a serious thing, and she "wasn't even pretty"! Then he started carrying on with another nurse. It's really humiliating for Letitia because she's a young and newly qualified nurse, not a well established ward sister who could survive the scandal I guess. At least she had the rest of the staff on her side!

Profile Image for Jite.
1,285 reviews74 followers
October 23, 2022
I kind of liked this Neels. Yes it had some of the standard sexist side commentary I could have done without like the heroine’s father dismissing his daughters as featherbrains…. And the general treatment of the travelers in this book is a little stereotyped but relatively alright compared to other books of this era in that it is sad that one has to say something like they aren’t overly dehumanized here as they are in many last-century books by European authors… And lastly there’s the throwaway mention of how the MC’s BFFs, the Efferts (whose story is in an earlier Betty Neels book which I love) made their generational wealth in the West Indies… without the acknowledgement that that connotes active expropriation of resources at best and complicity in slavery at worst… But if you can get past these elements of vintage Neelsian problematicness and acknowledge the problematicness in the reading experience as a historical artifact, this is actually quite an enjoyable read from a Neelsian plot perspective. First of all, the heroine isn’t a Pollyanna for one. Letitia is incredibly “touchy” about her appearance having been burned in the past by a touchy, ain’t-ish doctor at the hospital where she’s a nurse. As a result, she’s kind of short-tempered which is nice compared to the usual passive Neelsian heroines. Secondly, Jason is personable from the beginning rather than being the usual rude, but good looking and rich Dutch doctor (RDD). The attraction is plain from the beginning from both sides even though they try to deny it under the guise of a platonic friendship. The supporting characters are all delightful and overall, this was a pleasure to read. I don’t recall reading it before which was also a novelty because I have read most of this author’s work and so from that perspective I also really enjoyed it.
110 reviews
October 8, 2025
4.4. A lovely read. this is the one where she's been hurt by a mean registrar so doesn't trust men. our RDD reassures her that he is helping her with her injured ankle in an avuncular manner which puts her at ease with him but then she starts to fall for him. she then overhears him saying she is plain and he would never date her. she is very upset. meanwhile they keep meeting because they have friends in common. there is no ow drama but there is some mild angst for both of them. the scene where he is worried she's fallen for a younger man but shows her around his gorgeous castle home, hoping she will like it, and then proposes is so sweet and bittersweet and delicious because he's vulnerable and he does it even though his heart is hurting and he is worried that she will reject him. weeeeep..soooob. where is my hanky?
Profile Image for Anna.
1,504 reviews31 followers
August 17, 2021
Letitia is the plainest of the five girls in her family and has had a recent romantic disappointment which has led to a distrust of men in general, so naturally what she needs is a big, handsome Dutch doctor to come to her rescue (this is a Betty Neels book after all). Tishy is nice, bright and capable, but lacking sense in her romantic life. Jason has similar qualities and it was rather nice to have both romantic leads a little unsure rather than just the girl as is often the case with a Neels book.
Profile Image for Lisa.
288 reviews
May 8, 2022
In the words of Great-Uncle Ivo, ‘You’re a silly chit of a girl—Jason’s a man in a thousand.’ I found myself often annoyed by Letitia, she seemed to take offense from anything anyone said to her. She sulked and pouted her way from beginning to end; how Jason could fall in love with her is beyond me! I gave this story 3 stars because I really enjoyed reconnecting with Julius & Georgina and their family.
Profile Image for Dee Ready.
Author 55 books27 followers
November 17, 2018
A romantic interlude

Mostly, I read American and British mysteries and thrillers. But sometimes I long for a simpler story with no murders, violence, hatred. It is then I read Betty Neels and the sweetness of her stories is such a comfort and welcome relief. For a couple of hours I let go of realism and enjoy a romantic interlude.
34 reviews
February 17, 2024
This one is really good very sweet!

If your new to Betty Neels read this one hits all the right notes! Love that Georgina and Julius are in it from a previous book ! Just a warm and cosy read !
2 reviews
May 23, 2018
Great Read

Funny and warm hearted. Jason was funny and patient. As usual Betty Nels deviled. I was very impressed with the other characters.
Profile Image for Michelle David.
2,525 reviews15 followers
July 16, 2018
Lovely

If you enjoy your romances and want them to be clean, light, fluffy and vintage then you will Iove Betty Neels
Profile Image for Darlene Mindrup.
34 reviews
July 26, 2018
A favorite

This is one of my absolute favorites by Betty Neels. I have read my paperback copy so often that it is falling apart, so I decided to add it to my kindle.
Profile Image for Linda.
1,325 reviews19 followers
September 14, 2023
Good grief, this girl is so dense! The doctor isn’t much better. It’s almost like a different person wrote this book.
545 reviews5 followers
December 17, 2023
Sits comfortably in the mould that is Betty Neels but enjoyable as always.
377 reviews9 followers
May 9, 2024
I reread this book. I had it on my shelf after getting rid of a lot of books and I wondered why. It was a very sweet, well-written book. I enjoyed it the second time.
931 reviews41 followers
November 3, 2024
I chucked a star mostly because I was irritated by the stupidity of MC’s and their whole back and forth he/she loves me, or loves me not. Their clumsiness made me lose any interest I might have had.
Profile Image for Cecilia.
607 reviews59 followers
October 26, 2013
Back cover blurb:



Fate stepped in…

Letitia Marsden had decided that men were not to be trusted. Then she met Dr. Jason Mourik van Nie, and he changed her mind.

Learning to trust again wasn't easy for either of them. This time, Letitia vowed, there would be a happy ending. But then Jason got the wrong idea about one of her male friends….

Could a chance meeting set it right? Surely fate wasn't going to let a simple misapprehension stand in the way of true love?
359 reviews
April 11, 2020
A breath of fresh air.

One of Betty Neels earlier books, enchanting, a bit old fashioned but delightful. Wonderful descriptions of surroundings and such. Loved it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews

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