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A Dream Came True
After her parents' deaths, and her brother's departure for America, Jemima had no choice but to make a new life for herself. Since she wasn't trained for anything, that wasn't going to be easy. On the whole, she realized she had been very lucky to be taken on as companion-help to Lady Manderly, yet Jemima knew that her life was somehow unsatisfactory, and she felt unfulfi lled. Such thoughts might, of course, have something to do with Lady Manderly's nephew--Professor Alexander Cator!
224 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1983
About the author
Betty Neels
621 books424 followersEvelyn 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
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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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 23, 2021
ADCT (1982) features one of Betty’s English ogre heroes, Professor (of endocrinology) Alexander Cator, who meets his match in mousey-but-mouthy heroine Jemima Mason. This is the one where the heroine gets snowbound in Scotland with her imperious employer (the hero’s aunt) and the lady’s maid, saving the day in practical fashion (until the hero swoops in, in dramatic fashion, to steal her glory, anyway). It’s a good one: 3 locations (London/Stratford-on-Avon/Highlands), with an unflappable heroine, an often disagreeable but kind-at-heart hero, a wonderfully snide OW, and quite the cast of memorable secondary characters. Although I didn’t remember it very well from my first read (probably because I binged too many Bettys), I ranked it highly on this re-read. It’s a Cinderella tale, but while Betty makes her heroines’ circumstances pitiable, we usually have the sense they’d soldier on just fine even without intervention.
Betty car porn:
Hero’s standard-issue Rolls (1982 Silver Spur, with a longer wheel base than the similar Silver Spirit):
Lady M’s Daimler (we’ll assume Sovereign):
The heroine mentions having driven the following cars in the past:
Volvo Estate (245 DL here; I had a 30-yr-old 240 DL as a kayaking car for a while, and I love these boxy monstrosities):
Mini (from ’78):
Land Rover (mid-70s):
Betty car porn:
Hero’s standard-issue Rolls (1982 Silver Spur, with a longer wheel base than the similar Silver Spirit):
Lady M’s Daimler (we’ll assume Sovereign):
The heroine mentions having driven the following cars in the past:
Volvo Estate (245 DL here; I had a 30-yr-old 240 DL as a kayaking car for a while, and I love these boxy monstrosities):
Mini (from ’78):
Land Rover (mid-70s):
November 17, 2013
This one deserves four stars simply because it is so different from Betty's other work.
1) First the Heroine was hilariously funny. She had spine, gumption and didn't let anyone get away with anything. She had me chuckling from beginning to end.
2) Unlike most of Betty's heroine's, she is not a nurse. She is a young woman down on her luck, looking for work. She responds to an advertisement for companion to a rich older woman who happens to be the aunt of the hero. She meets the hero when she goes for the interview and takes an instant dislike to him.
3) Unlike other Betty heroes, this one wasn't drop dead gorgeous and heroine didn't swoon all over him. In fact, she describes him as middle aged, graying, with beady eyes and a beaky nose.
And finally,
4) Hero is not a Rich Dutch Doctor!!!!!!!!!!
I chuckled through most of this one. My only negative comment, was that the hero felt a bit removed from the story, but I think this was simply to give the heroine more of the limelight.
1) First the Heroine was hilariously funny. She had spine, gumption and didn't let anyone get away with anything. She had me chuckling from beginning to end.
2) Unlike most of Betty's heroine's, she is not a nurse. She is a young woman down on her luck, looking for work. She responds to an advertisement for companion to a rich older woman who happens to be the aunt of the hero. She meets the hero when she goes for the interview and takes an instant dislike to him.
3) Unlike other Betty heroes, this one wasn't drop dead gorgeous and heroine didn't swoon all over him. In fact, she describes him as middle aged, graying, with beady eyes and a beaky nose.
And finally,
4) Hero is not a Rich Dutch Doctor!!!!!!!!!!
I chuckled through most of this one. My only negative comment, was that the hero felt a bit removed from the story, but I think this was simply to give the heroine more of the limelight.
April 10, 2017
I really enjoyed this book, but it has little to do with the romance, such as it is. Jemima Mason, the daughter of a late Oxford don, has fallen on hard times since the deaths of her parents. She takes a job as companion to the elderly Lady Temperly. The story is really about how their relationship develops during the months they spend together and it is delightful indeed.
About halfway in, Jemima discovers she has fallen in love with Lady Temperly's nephew, Professor Alexander Cator, an endocrinologist, although she can't understand why. Me neither. He's a grouch with a beautiful-but-obnoxious girlfriend who misses no opportunity to deliver a put-down to Jemima. Alexander kisses Jemima quite a bit, but she never questions him as to why.
We travel from London to Oxford to the Western Highlands, where an early blizzard wreaks havoc and strands Jemima, Lady Temperly and her maid, Pooley (who also breaks her arm) with little food and dwindling coal to keep warm. Jemima is a tower of strength that keeps everyone fed, warm and tipsy - she liberally doles out brandy.
Eventually, Alexander flies up by helicopter and rescues them to the more comfortable surroundings of a hotel some miles away. Jemima is determined to leave Lady Temperly's employ and get over Alexander. We see Alexander and Lady Temperly talking about Jemima behind her back and learn that Alexander wants to marry Jemima.
Lady Temperly is unable to prevent Jemima from leaving, who tells Lady Temperly that she is staying with friends in Oxford while she makes up her mind about a new job. Actually, Jemima is working in the news shop of her landlady, which is where Alexander eventually finds Jemima a couple of weeks later. His Declaration does include one nice line: when Jemima asks why he was always so rude to her, Alexander answers that if he hadn't been he would have "eaten her with a spoon."
A very enjoyable book, but light on the romance.
About halfway in, Jemima discovers she has fallen in love with Lady Temperly's nephew, Professor Alexander Cator, an endocrinologist, although she can't understand why. Me neither. He's a grouch with a beautiful-but-obnoxious girlfriend who misses no opportunity to deliver a put-down to Jemima. Alexander kisses Jemima quite a bit, but she never questions him as to why.
We travel from London to Oxford to the Western Highlands, where an early blizzard wreaks havoc and strands Jemima, Lady Temperly and her maid, Pooley (who also breaks her arm) with little food and dwindling coal to keep warm. Jemima is a tower of strength that keeps everyone fed, warm and tipsy - she liberally doles out brandy.
Eventually, Alexander flies up by helicopter and rescues them to the more comfortable surroundings of a hotel some miles away. Jemima is determined to leave Lady Temperly's employ and get over Alexander. We see Alexander and Lady Temperly talking about Jemima behind her back and learn that Alexander wants to marry Jemima.
Lady Temperly is unable to prevent Jemima from leaving, who tells Lady Temperly that she is staying with friends in Oxford while she makes up her mind about a new job. Actually, Jemima is working in the news shop of her landlady, which is where Alexander eventually finds Jemima a couple of weeks later. His Declaration does include one nice line: when Jemima asks why he was always so rude to her, Alexander answers that if he hadn't been he would have "eaten her with a spoon."
A very enjoyable book, but light on the romance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2015
Our heroine Jemima is at a crossroads, with her brother leaving home for a good position in the US. She has never trained for anything, having looked after her parents until their deaths when the family finances were found to be gone.
The only thing she is able to apply for is a companion position with Lady Manderly. The hero is her nephew and is not Dutch but he does have the usual attractive female in tow.
Looking back on this story, not a great deal actually happens until the end when the heroine shows herself as a redoubtable female of strength and character.
The bulk of the action is the interaction between Jemima and Professor Alexander Cator. He seems to be always in and out of his aunt's house and prepared to be quite blunt about Jemima's lack of looks and charm. Not that Jemima lets him get away with much.
This was an enjoyable read from an author who knew her strengths and managed to produce a steady diet of romance with strong enigmatic heroes and a range of heroines to suit them.
The only thing she is able to apply for is a companion position with Lady Manderly. The hero is her nephew and is not Dutch but he does have the usual attractive female in tow.
Looking back on this story, not a great deal actually happens until the end when the heroine shows herself as a redoubtable female of strength and character.
The bulk of the action is the interaction between Jemima and Professor Alexander Cator. He seems to be always in and out of his aunt's house and prepared to be quite blunt about Jemima's lack of looks and charm. Not that Jemima lets him get away with much.
This was an enjoyable read from an author who knew her strengths and managed to produce a steady diet of romance with strong enigmatic heroes and a range of heroines to suit them.
September 20, 2015
This book deviates a bit from the Neels tradition. The plain-Jane heroine isn't a nurse, but a paid companion, and she's also a bit mouthy and not afraid to speak her mind, which made the book fun. The hero is older, but not particularly handsome, and is a British Professor of endocrinolgy rather than a RDD. To make up for these differences there is both a crabby old lady and a beautiful young snobbish girl. lol
Set in England and Scotland, a big part of the book covers our heroine's adventures when a snowstorm hits Scotland. I love reading about people stranded due to snow, and I enjoyed that section a lot.
Set in England and Scotland, a big part of the book covers our heroine's adventures when a snowstorm hits Scotland. I love reading about people stranded due to snow, and I enjoyed that section a lot.
February 15, 2022
Horrid characters, only likeable one was the heroine.
August 22, 2016
A solid entry from TGB. Jemima, displaced from her life in Oxford by her Mother's death and soon to lose her brother to a job of great promise in Boston, faces an uncertain future. She goes to the offices of Prof. Cator in answer to an advertisement for a lady's companion. His rudeness and impatience staggering, they argue briefly and she goes to the job interview with Lady M, a feminine counterpart to her nephew the Professor. He is apparently the only family member who tolerates her but given their similarities not surprising really. There are Lady M's FFRs, a cruel and useless Veronica, and a blizzard of some magnitude that traps Jemima and Lady M in Scotland for several miserable days. In all of this Jemima is capable and strong and forthright. Professor Cator is outraged, amused, impressed and eventually enraptured by this small brown mouse of a girl. A wonderful story.
October 22, 2022
Not one of my favourite Betty books. This was a Betty romance of the “intrepid but down on her luck” “plain heroine with limited livelihood skills and options” variety. Jemima gets a job with a difficult old lady who happens to be the aunt of a rude, endocrinology professor, Alexander. Although the two do not initially hit it off, they discover they have a lot in common and somehow become fixated on one another.
I suppose I liked Jemima because she was positive but also had pride and temper and was willing to stand up for herself while still being a bit of a Pollyanna. But Alexander was difficult, as ill-mannered as his aunt, sexist (re: a comment about women drivers), and just generally unpleasant for no good reason for a lot of the book. He did step up for the heroine eventually and was intentional in his pursuit but by then I had gone off him completely. This was an okay Betty, but by no means a favourite.
I suppose I liked Jemima because she was positive but also had pride and temper and was willing to stand up for herself while still being a bit of a Pollyanna. But Alexander was difficult, as ill-mannered as his aunt, sexist (re: a comment about women drivers), and just generally unpleasant for no good reason for a lot of the book. He did step up for the heroine eventually and was intentional in his pursuit but by then I had gone off him completely. This was an okay Betty, but by no means a favourite.
August 8, 2013
Very nice. Not as much emphasis on the doctor's life but rather on the girl's job- made for a nice change.
August 27, 2023
I really enjoyed this departure from Betty Neels other books. The character development is wonderful, if somewhat stereotypical.
August 8, 2018
Lovely
If you enjoy your romances clean, light, fluffy and vintage then you will enjoy the wonderful work of Betty Neels
If you enjoy your romances clean, light, fluffy and vintage then you will enjoy the wonderful work of Betty Neels
August 28, 2009
A Betty Neels heroine with a spine! OMG
January 16, 2026
Read: Sep25, 16Jan26.
4.4 stars. I actually loved this book, and very much enjoyed the icy arrogant hero, and this would have been a 5 star if only we got to see more of the romance. the hero didn't spend anywhere near enough time with the heroine because, I supposed, he didn't have an excuse to be taking her out on dates. which is a pity. a couple of snarky spatty dates with a touch of tenderness and all that fire between them and even more angst in between would have made this absolutely perfect. even so, its a very enjoyable read and the ending is so sweet to see the irascible Alexander bow to love. aha.
Jemima (27) is a plain plump homemaker who ran her household after her dad died and again in further reduced curcumstances after her mum died, to care for a student brother. the brother seems caring in this one, and worried about jemima before he leaves for America to study a higher degree. jemima assures him she will be fine and, having no work training, she manages to find a job as a companion to rich old Lady Manderly. when she turns up at the interview, an arrogant handsome whirlwind of a man thrusts some papers at her and orders her to type them up, having mistaken her for a secretary. she clarifies who she is and he eyes her shabby person skeptically, and is mocking and contemptuous, saying she won't do, but she might as well try. he sends her on to lady manderly.
as no-one else applied for the job, lady manderly, a demanding and often selfish woman, hires her. jemima is glad to have the job, even if it's poorly paid, and manages to find a room to rent above a shop, leaving her almost no money left over to keep her spirits alive. poor jemima! luckily the shop owner and her daughter are cheerful sorts who embrace jemima into their home.
the next day she is shocked to bump into Alexander in lady manderly's house and discover he is that lady's nephew! their meeting is as sparky as their first one was, with him being mocking and amused at her expense whenever they meet, him usually turning up with his glamorous girlfriend on his arm.
SPOILERS AHEAD
the servants in lady manderlys house are also lovely, keeping jemima going despite her endless and thankless job.
we get the briefest of pet rescues when she finds an injured cat and Alexander, who is driving by, takes it to his vet, and keeps her updated on its progress.
we see her overworked and disenchanted, with Alexander randomly popping in and keeping her company (in brooding silence) while avoiding parties happening elsewhere in the house. when she is finally fed up, she tells him she is leaving after a gruelling dinner party experience. but then lady manderly decides to go to on holiday to near Oxford and Alexander persuades jemima to stay a bit longer.
even there, he comes to visit with the OW who is scathing and catty to Gemima and makes her feel crap about her poverty and terrible clothes.
we get a tiny bit of OM drama when Alexander sees a young man dropping Gemima off on her day off and he is rude to her about it, accusing her of picking the guy up. but the OM was only a visiting nephew of family friends she was visiting and his interest in Jemima is only brief and lukewarm.
At this point Jemima realises she has fallen in love with the irascible and temperamental Alexander and shortly afterwards, he randomly kisses her for the first time.
he visits shortly afterwards for a weekend with the horrible other girl, who is particularly nasty to Gemima this time, and Alexander intercedes to defend jemima, which only makes her feel worse. jemima is glad the holiday is nearing an end and she can find another job as she can't bear it any more. but when she mentions this to lady manderly, that lady says she simply must visit Scotland next and makes jemima promise to accompany her. by this point lady manderly has warmed to jemima and likes her and has even hinted she would make a better girl for Alexander than the shallow OW would.
so then we get a 'snowed-in in rural Scotland and coping with disaster' scenario, with jemima admirably coping with cooking with diminishing ingredients and trying to heat the place with reducing coal supplies and heroically shovelling snow and making ends meet and trying to prevent burst pipes, and coping with a distressed lady manderly. Alexander eventually sweeps in to save the day, in his own helicopter no less, when jemima is at her wits end coping with a flu-ish lady Manderly and the maid laid down with a broken arm.
ENDING SPOILERS
she is so utterly releived to see him that she harshly demands where he has been and bursts into tears and he comforts her. he helps her sort out the mess patiently and, despite being tired and hungry, he flies them one by one in the tiny helicopter back to civilisation. but by this point Jemima is embarrassed at her outburst and withdraws from him again. he remains patient. he even tells his aunt he wants to marry Jemima but that she doesn't fully like him and he needs to persuade her. but it's too bad his work takes him away again for some days.
Jemima returns to London with lady manderly and determinedly quits her job this time. she can't bear to see Alexander again. she lies and says she has got another job in Oxford, but really she ends up manning the shop where she was living while she searches for work.
it is over a week until Alexander storms in one day in his usual irascible style, complaining he's torn Oxford apart looking for her, his adorable little brown mouse, and she better marry him immediately because he can't live without her. she accuses him of being with an OW and always ignoring her. he says he only used the other woman as a distraction and excuse to get to know Jemima (afraid Jemima would have run from his attentions in terror presumably, which she might have at the beginning, lol) and that if he hadnt ignored Jemima he would have eaten her with a spoon.
EATEN HER WITH A SPOON!
possibly one of my fave things a betty hero has ever said.
so anyway, his declaration was everything we could have wished. he worries he'll make a bad husband but says he will love her for the rest of his life. ugh so sweet and delicious an ending!
next time I read this I want to remember that the whole time Alexander is ignoring her, he is really dying for wanting her and longing to eat her with a spoon. lol.
CONCLUSION
this totally would have been 5 stars for me if only the two of them got to spend more time together. even so, the underlying chemistry and tension between these two was palpable from their first meeting and irascible Alexander is one of my fave betty heroes ever, and Jemima is the perfect foil for him. it was a very entertaining read even without the depth of story or emotions or pining we get in my fave betty stories. he doesn't really 'have' her since he never lays claim to her via stealth dating etc in this book and so she can never quite feel fully rejected by his behaviour, which was a missing note. another missing note was that alexander's behaviour was purely down to personality type rather than past experiences and disappointments in life, which usually add another layer of depth to show how badly a H needs a h in his life. also missing was showing him being the super caapble doc, adored and respencted and lauded by his patients and friedns and colleagues, which always raisies a hero in a yummy unrecahavle pedestal. but somehow alexander stool high on the strength of his hurricane personality. despite all of this, I enjoyed it for all that amazing tormenting undercurrent of chemistry and would totally read it again.
4.4 stars. I actually loved this book, and very much enjoyed the icy arrogant hero, and this would have been a 5 star if only we got to see more of the romance. the hero didn't spend anywhere near enough time with the heroine because, I supposed, he didn't have an excuse to be taking her out on dates. which is a pity. a couple of snarky spatty dates with a touch of tenderness and all that fire between them and even more angst in between would have made this absolutely perfect. even so, its a very enjoyable read and the ending is so sweet to see the irascible Alexander bow to love. aha.
Jemima (27) is a plain plump homemaker who ran her household after her dad died and again in further reduced curcumstances after her mum died, to care for a student brother. the brother seems caring in this one, and worried about jemima before he leaves for America to study a higher degree. jemima assures him she will be fine and, having no work training, she manages to find a job as a companion to rich old Lady Manderly. when she turns up at the interview, an arrogant handsome whirlwind of a man thrusts some papers at her and orders her to type them up, having mistaken her for a secretary. she clarifies who she is and he eyes her shabby person skeptically, and is mocking and contemptuous, saying she won't do, but she might as well try. he sends her on to lady manderly.
as no-one else applied for the job, lady manderly, a demanding and often selfish woman, hires her. jemima is glad to have the job, even if it's poorly paid, and manages to find a room to rent above a shop, leaving her almost no money left over to keep her spirits alive. poor jemima! luckily the shop owner and her daughter are cheerful sorts who embrace jemima into their home.
the next day she is shocked to bump into Alexander in lady manderly's house and discover he is that lady's nephew! their meeting is as sparky as their first one was, with him being mocking and amused at her expense whenever they meet, him usually turning up with his glamorous girlfriend on his arm.
SPOILERS AHEAD
the servants in lady manderlys house are also lovely, keeping jemima going despite her endless and thankless job.
we get the briefest of pet rescues when she finds an injured cat and Alexander, who is driving by, takes it to his vet, and keeps her updated on its progress.
we see her overworked and disenchanted, with Alexander randomly popping in and keeping her company (in brooding silence) while avoiding parties happening elsewhere in the house. when she is finally fed up, she tells him she is leaving after a gruelling dinner party experience. but then lady manderly decides to go to on holiday to near Oxford and Alexander persuades jemima to stay a bit longer.
even there, he comes to visit with the OW who is scathing and catty to Gemima and makes her feel crap about her poverty and terrible clothes.
we get a tiny bit of OM drama when Alexander sees a young man dropping Gemima off on her day off and he is rude to her about it, accusing her of picking the guy up. but the OM was only a visiting nephew of family friends she was visiting and his interest in Jemima is only brief and lukewarm.
At this point Jemima realises she has fallen in love with the irascible and temperamental Alexander and shortly afterwards, he randomly kisses her for the first time.
he visits shortly afterwards for a weekend with the horrible other girl, who is particularly nasty to Gemima this time, and Alexander intercedes to defend jemima, which only makes her feel worse. jemima is glad the holiday is nearing an end and she can find another job as she can't bear it any more. but when she mentions this to lady manderly, that lady says she simply must visit Scotland next and makes jemima promise to accompany her. by this point lady manderly has warmed to jemima and likes her and has even hinted she would make a better girl for Alexander than the shallow OW would.
so then we get a 'snowed-in in rural Scotland and coping with disaster' scenario, with jemima admirably coping with cooking with diminishing ingredients and trying to heat the place with reducing coal supplies and heroically shovelling snow and making ends meet and trying to prevent burst pipes, and coping with a distressed lady manderly. Alexander eventually sweeps in to save the day, in his own helicopter no less, when jemima is at her wits end coping with a flu-ish lady Manderly and the maid laid down with a broken arm.
ENDING SPOILERS
she is so utterly releived to see him that she harshly demands where he has been and bursts into tears and he comforts her. he helps her sort out the mess patiently and, despite being tired and hungry, he flies them one by one in the tiny helicopter back to civilisation. but by this point Jemima is embarrassed at her outburst and withdraws from him again. he remains patient. he even tells his aunt he wants to marry Jemima but that she doesn't fully like him and he needs to persuade her. but it's too bad his work takes him away again for some days.
Jemima returns to London with lady manderly and determinedly quits her job this time. she can't bear to see Alexander again. she lies and says she has got another job in Oxford, but really she ends up manning the shop where she was living while she searches for work.
it is over a week until Alexander storms in one day in his usual irascible style, complaining he's torn Oxford apart looking for her, his adorable little brown mouse, and she better marry him immediately because he can't live without her. she accuses him of being with an OW and always ignoring her. he says he only used the other woman as a distraction and excuse to get to know Jemima (afraid Jemima would have run from his attentions in terror presumably, which she might have at the beginning, lol) and that if he hadnt ignored Jemima he would have eaten her with a spoon.
EATEN HER WITH A SPOON!
possibly one of my fave things a betty hero has ever said.
so anyway, his declaration was everything we could have wished. he worries he'll make a bad husband but says he will love her for the rest of his life. ugh so sweet and delicious an ending!
next time I read this I want to remember that the whole time Alexander is ignoring her, he is really dying for wanting her and longing to eat her with a spoon. lol.
CONCLUSION
this totally would have been 5 stars for me if only the two of them got to spend more time together. even so, the underlying chemistry and tension between these two was palpable from their first meeting and irascible Alexander is one of my fave betty heroes ever, and Jemima is the perfect foil for him. it was a very entertaining read even without the depth of story or emotions or pining we get in my fave betty stories. he doesn't really 'have' her since he never lays claim to her via stealth dating etc in this book and so she can never quite feel fully rejected by his behaviour, which was a missing note. another missing note was that alexander's behaviour was purely down to personality type rather than past experiences and disappointments in life, which usually add another layer of depth to show how badly a H needs a h in his life. also missing was showing him being the super caapble doc, adored and respencted and lauded by his patients and friedns and colleagues, which always raisies a hero in a yummy unrecahavle pedestal. but somehow alexander stool high on the strength of his hurricane personality. despite all of this, I enjoyed it for all that amazing tormenting undercurrent of chemistry and would totally read it again.
February 21, 2018
Copyrighted 1982
3.5*
Professor Alexander Cator was mean in the beginning; he was curt and rude...little wonder it ruffled Jemima's feathers so that she was rude right back! I think that caught his attention because he's used to women fighting for his attention!
An endocrinologist, he got to demonstrate his doctorly skills splintering Pooley's broken arm but other than that we got very little medical stuffs in this story.
I enjoyed the country settings of Stratford-Upon-Avon (Shakespeare territory ! Jemima even got in a play though with a beach bum NZ visitor to her fair weather family friends.) The awful snow storm in the Scottish lodge provided some drama and I was getting anxious when things seemed so dire. But as usual our practical and stoic BN heroine rose to the occasion and looked after everyone. Of course our hero swooped in (literally) to the rescue before things got REALLY dire. Helicopter and ski!
Alexander seemed to look after Aunt Lady Manderly better than a son or grandson, he was always around visiting! Why would he bring gross Gloria around, and still kiss Jemima, I'll never understand. Especially when she's always so rude and cruel to Jemima, why must he subject Jemima more to her nasty presence?!
His love declaration at the end was quite good though. Him saying he " might have eaten[ her ]with a spoon"! And I like his idea of " getting to know each other better" hehe...more kisses!
3.5*
Professor Alexander Cator was mean in the beginning; he was curt and rude...little wonder it ruffled Jemima's feathers so that she was rude right back! I think that caught his attention because he's used to women fighting for his attention!
An endocrinologist, he got to demonstrate his doctorly skills splintering Pooley's broken arm but other than that we got very little medical stuffs in this story.
I enjoyed the country settings of Stratford-Upon-Avon (Shakespeare territory ! Jemima even got in a play though with a beach bum NZ visitor to her fair weather family friends.) The awful snow storm in the Scottish lodge provided some drama and I was getting anxious when things seemed so dire. But as usual our practical and stoic BN heroine rose to the occasion and looked after everyone. Of course our hero swooped in (literally) to the rescue before things got REALLY dire. Helicopter and ski!
Alexander seemed to look after Aunt Lady Manderly better than a son or grandson, he was always around visiting! Why would he bring gross Gloria around, and still kiss Jemima, I'll never understand. Especially when she's always so rude and cruel to Jemima, why must he subject Jemima more to her nasty presence?!
His love declaration at the end was quite good though. Him saying he " might have eaten[ her ]with a spoon"! And I like his idea of " getting to know each other better" hehe...more kisses!
May 25, 2018
The usual cozy light but very good read
I love all the books I have read by Ms Neels. Her way of bringing you into the surroundings of all the characters is so amazing. You feel like you are a part of their lives. I can't imagine people saying in front of someone that they aren't much to look at. She mentions this often but those are the girls who have substance and end up getting the guy.
I love all the books I have read by Ms Neels. Her way of bringing you into the surroundings of all the characters is so amazing. You feel like you are a part of their lives. I can't imagine people saying in front of someone that they aren't much to look at. She mentions this often but those are the girls who have substance and end up getting the guy.
April 14, 2026
Another sweet story from Betty Neels about a plain girl with not much going for her who persevere. Jamina he comes the companion of lady Manderly and during the course of her employment finds herself falling in love with the ladies nephew Dr. alexander Cantor.
Well, this is basically a romantic story, we learn a lot about Jamina and her skills at organization and keeping her head when everyone else is floundering around her.
Well, this is basically a romantic story, we learn a lot about Jamina and her skills at organization and keeping her head when everyone else is floundering around her.
June 14, 2026
"Mas que un sueño"
Hermosa novelita Betty!!! Una más para mí top ten.
Jemima es una joven de unos 25 años,tiene un hermano menor que viaja a EE UU con una beca a estudiar.Ella los últimos años cuido a su madre enferma, cuando quedan huérfanos,venden su casa y pertenencias y pierden todo su status social.Para no preocupar a su hermano ella busca trabajo de lo que sea así que se emplea en lo que mejor sabe hacer dama de compañía de una mujer mayor.Camino al lugar fijado para la entrevista laboral conoce al sobrino de la señora para quien trabajará, Alexander Cator,un hombre alto,de unos treinta y tantos años que la confunde por secretaría hasta que se da cuenta de su error y la envía con su tía.No sin antes tener un encuentro fortuito lleno de malos modos y enfrentamiento inicial.El ya famoso enemy lovers Betty.
Hermosa novelita Betty!!! Una más para mí top ten.
Jemima es una joven de unos 25 años,tiene un hermano menor que viaja a EE UU con una beca a estudiar.Ella los últimos años cuido a su madre enferma, cuando quedan huérfanos,venden su casa y pertenencias y pierden todo su status social.Para no preocupar a su hermano ella busca trabajo de lo que sea así que se emplea en lo que mejor sabe hacer dama de compañía de una mujer mayor.Camino al lugar fijado para la entrevista laboral conoce al sobrino de la señora para quien trabajará, Alexander Cator,un hombre alto,de unos treinta y tantos años que la confunde por secretaría hasta que se da cuenta de su error y la envía con su tía.No sin antes tener un encuentro fortuito lleno de malos modos y enfrentamiento inicial.El ya famoso enemy lovers Betty.
June 22, 2023
A large, handsome, grumpy, internationally renowned doctor. A poor, plain, good, intelligent girl with beautiful eyes. Her family lets her down. She keeps going pluckily, till he sweeps her off her feet.
If you've read one Betty Neels, you've read them all. The only surprise here is that he's not Dutch.
If you've read one Betty Neels, you've read them all. The only surprise here is that he's not Dutch.
September 10, 2025
3.75 stars. The satisfaction of Jemima's competence in handling nearly everything thrown at her overshadows the weakness of the romance plot. The RBD also gets to utter two of the best lines in Neeldom.
April 5, 2026
3.5 rounded up to 4 despite the helicopter in a blizzard (wtf?) because of this line from hero to heroine after she accused him of either laughing at or ignoring her: “If I hadn’t done that I should have eaten you with a spoon.”
July 19, 2018
Such a sweet book. I'm really liking these older romance books!
September 8, 2018
Another different one
I quite like this different adventure story. In heavy snow no less, wonderful. I was taken with it and could not put it down!
I quite like this different adventure story. In heavy snow no less, wonderful. I was taken with it and could not put it down!
Read
August 13, 2020Similar story with some funny moment. But the hero really should show more affection.
March 26, 2021
I like the story on this one. Too bad it wasted on unnecessary events and the ending was abrupt as always. But the heroine is a badass and I love her for it!
August 5, 2021
Another sweet lovely clean romance.
May 27, 2026
Not a doormat!
June 2, 2026
I loved this one although I agree with another reviewer that the hero needs to work on his compliments! 😂
February 19, 2026
A Dream Came True is Betty circa 1983. I skimmed this, didn't like it, read it for real months later, still didn't like it. But on my third attempt, I realized it's actually pretty good. (Betty often pays for re-reading.)
Jemima is your standard BN Araminta (impoverished, plain, nice eyes) but not a nurse. Instead, she's the 27-year-old daughter of an Oxford don who never had to strike out on her own until her parents died and left her and her younger brother forced to make their own way in the world. The brother seems to be a scientist. He's off to Boston for a job. School? Another degree? It's all glossed over. Jemima stays behind in London and takes a job as a companion to a cantankerous old lady, Lady Manderly.
And this is where we meet our 40-ish RBD Alexander (rich British doctor), who is Lady Manderly's nephew, the only relative who can stand being around her. He's a real cranky pants and he's got a truly awful girlfriend, Gloria, with peculiar taste in clothes. Jemima has got her work cut out for her, trying to navigate this group of difficult personalities, that's for sure. But Jemima is calm, practical, able to manage her anger and outrage, and she doesn't take nonsense from anyone, calmly and politely putting them all in their place, ultimately earning the grudging respect of Lady M, if not her good manners. We know what it is that she ultimately wins from Alexander because this is Betty Neels. Just an aside: Jemima is not a Mary Sue. She might sound like it from this description. But she's not. I really liked Jemima. She's pretty awesome.
Alexander is not very lovable. He's cranky. He's not around very much, but he does occasionally turn up to accompany Jemima while she walks Lady M's dog Coco. He's arrogant and rude, so much so that when he's particularly annoyed Jemima to the point she almost loses her natural sang-froid, he mockingly offers her his "massive jaw" to slap. I love Jemima's response. She doesn't yell. She doesn't blow up. Instead, she asks him in a "small voice" why he needles her when she tries to keep out of his way because she knows he dislikes her. Her hurt and confusion shame him and likely bring on his Dawning Realization.
Jemima toils away as Lady M's companion first in London, then accompanies her to her house in Stratford-on-Avon, and then to Lady M's other home in Scotland despite her stated wish to resign so she can get away from Alexander, whom she has now realized she loves (hopelessly, she believes). But it seems maybe the Scotland trip was cooked up because Alexander is equally determined not to let Jemima get away before he can convince her that he's not such a bad bet as a husband.
The only problem about Scotland is that the house is in a remote location, it's December, a blizzard is brewing and for some reason, despite apparently wishing to woo Jemima, Alexander doesn't accompany them. So, naturally, they get snowed in. Lady M gets sick, her maid breaks her arm, food stores are running low and Jemima has to run around taking care of everyone, cleaning the house and toting coal. But not to worry. Alexander flies out in his helicopter to rescue them all. (Helicopter? Yes. Helicopter.)
I think I didn't initially like this because Alexander really isn't very nice, and the book spends more time on Jemima getting on with her job than falling in love. I also wasn't a fan of the Gloria story. Alexander pretty much continues to date her until the end, has a pretty flimsy excuse for doing so, but in his defense, he does actually ream Gloria out more than once when she's particularly hateful. Most times the RDD/RBD just blandly looks on while the OW exercises her claws.
To sum up, on my third read, it all clicked and I really enjoyed it. Jemima is definitely among my top 5 BN heroines, even if her story is probably somewhere in the top 25 of Betty's 134-book oeuvre. The side characters are pretty great too. The FFRs squabbling with each other in Stratford-on-Avon is pretty funny. Lady M has a definite character arc going. She remains irritable and irritating, but she's got more going on than that.
A solid 4 stars.
Jemima is your standard BN Araminta (impoverished, plain, nice eyes) but not a nurse. Instead, she's the 27-year-old daughter of an Oxford don who never had to strike out on her own until her parents died and left her and her younger brother forced to make their own way in the world. The brother seems to be a scientist. He's off to Boston for a job. School? Another degree? It's all glossed over. Jemima stays behind in London and takes a job as a companion to a cantankerous old lady, Lady Manderly.
And this is where we meet our 40-ish RBD Alexander (rich British doctor), who is Lady Manderly's nephew, the only relative who can stand being around her. He's a real cranky pants and he's got a truly awful girlfriend, Gloria, with peculiar taste in clothes. Jemima has got her work cut out for her, trying to navigate this group of difficult personalities, that's for sure. But Jemima is calm, practical, able to manage her anger and outrage, and she doesn't take nonsense from anyone, calmly and politely putting them all in their place, ultimately earning the grudging respect of Lady M, if not her good manners. We know what it is that she ultimately wins from Alexander because this is Betty Neels. Just an aside: Jemima is not a Mary Sue. She might sound like it from this description. But she's not. I really liked Jemima. She's pretty awesome.
Alexander is not very lovable. He's cranky. He's not around very much, but he does occasionally turn up to accompany Jemima while she walks Lady M's dog Coco. He's arrogant and rude, so much so that when he's particularly annoyed Jemima to the point she almost loses her natural sang-froid, he mockingly offers her his "massive jaw" to slap. I love Jemima's response. She doesn't yell. She doesn't blow up. Instead, she asks him in a "small voice" why he needles her when she tries to keep out of his way because she knows he dislikes her. Her hurt and confusion shame him and likely bring on his Dawning Realization.
Jemima toils away as Lady M's companion first in London, then accompanies her to her house in Stratford-on-Avon, and then to Lady M's other home in Scotland despite her stated wish to resign so she can get away from Alexander, whom she has now realized she loves (hopelessly, she believes). But it seems maybe the Scotland trip was cooked up because Alexander is equally determined not to let Jemima get away before he can convince her that he's not such a bad bet as a husband.
The only problem about Scotland is that the house is in a remote location, it's December, a blizzard is brewing and for some reason, despite apparently wishing to woo Jemima, Alexander doesn't accompany them. So, naturally, they get snowed in. Lady M gets sick, her maid breaks her arm, food stores are running low and Jemima has to run around taking care of everyone, cleaning the house and toting coal. But not to worry. Alexander flies out in his helicopter to rescue them all. (Helicopter? Yes. Helicopter.)
I think I didn't initially like this because Alexander really isn't very nice, and the book spends more time on Jemima getting on with her job than falling in love. I also wasn't a fan of the Gloria story. Alexander pretty much continues to date her until the end, has a pretty flimsy excuse for doing so, but in his defense, he does actually ream Gloria out more than once when she's particularly hateful. Most times the RDD/RBD just blandly looks on while the OW exercises her claws.
To sum up, on my third read, it all clicked and I really enjoyed it. Jemima is definitely among my top 5 BN heroines, even if her story is probably somewhere in the top 25 of Betty's 134-book oeuvre. The side characters are pretty great too. The FFRs squabbling with each other in Stratford-on-Avon is pretty funny. Lady M has a definite character arc going. She remains irritable and irritating, but she's got more going on than that.
A solid 4 stars.
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