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The Moon for Lavinia
A nursing job in Holland was the only way Lavinia Hawkins could ensure a home and security for herself and her young sister, Peta. Yet within weeks of arriving she was married to the devastatingly handsome Professor Radmer ter Bavinck. Radmer had assured Lavinia that the marriage would be on a friendly basis only. He needed a kind stepmother for his daughter and a competent housekeeper to run his home. It seemed to be the ideal arrangement—for everyone except Lavinia!
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
39 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
About the author
Betty Neels
566 books418 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 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 10, 2020
One of my favorite BN tales--I love the RDD hero, Radmer: he likes Lavinia from their very first sparky meeting and is very forthright about it and his pursuit of her. Of course, he claims to offer the standard BN MoC so that he can focus on his work without any romantic nonsense, but it's pretty clear from the start that he is attracted to (and soon falls for) our likable heroine. I enjoy Betty's earlier heroes so much more than some of her later, inscrutable, "placid" heroes--Radmer is communicative most of the time, he loses his temper occasionally, he is not out to rescue Lavinia, who is managing all right on her own, but he sees a mutual benefit in their marriage and so pursues her. I love an active, involved Neels hero, and Radmer delivers--until he gets cold feet about his own growing involvement and pulls away.
Ah, but much to his chagrin, our heroine, determined to stick to the terms of their bargain, despite being in love with him when she agrees to the MoC, not only allows him to do so (to some degree anyway, when she's not yelling at him for coming home at 3 a.m. without calling, heee)--she starts to avoid him as well. It takes a conniving pair of teenage girls to force a confrontation, and our HEA declarations amusingly occur in the middle of a department store with interested shoppers as witnesses. Very cute overall with just a touch of angst, no OW/OM drama, no Big Misunderstanding, and a hugely likable pair of MCs made for each other.
Ah, but much to his chagrin, our heroine, determined to stick to the terms of their bargain, despite being in love with him when she agrees to the MoC, not only allows him to do so (to some degree anyway, when she's not yelling at him for coming home at 3 a.m. without calling, heee)--she starts to avoid him as well. It takes a conniving pair of teenage girls to force a confrontation, and our HEA declarations amusingly occur in the middle of a department store with interested shoppers as witnesses. Very cute overall with just a touch of angst, no OW/OM drama, no Big Misunderstanding, and a hugely likable pair of MCs made for each other.
February 17, 2017
4 1/2 stars.
Reasons to love Radmer:
He is forthright. "It seemed to me that since we liked each other on sight, it would be silly to go through the preliminaries, but if you prefer that, I'll call you Miss Hawkins for a week or two, erase from my mind the sight of you in Sibendina's dressing gown, and drop you off at the next bus stop."
He likes curvy girls. "You just go on eating," he said forcefully. "I like to be able to tell the front of a woman from her back, those skeletal types teetering round on four-inch heels don't appeal to me."
He is kind to Lavinia's sister, Peta.
Reason to be annoyed with Radmer:
He sells Lavinia short (at first). "You're sensible, your feet are firmly planted on the ground . . . You will never be tempted to reach for the moon, my dear."
And I like Lavinia. In spite of being "a little plump, and with a face which was neither plain nor pretty," she is kind and fairly even-tempered, accepting Radmer's compliments with aplomb although she isn't certain whether he is serious or not.
I love how she matter-of-factly accepts his proposal in front of witnesses at the hospital, dishing him out some of his own medicine, as it were. And then immediately leaves without giving him a chance to even speak.
I quite enjoyed this delightful book, which is a bit different from the usual Betty. No evil OW or OM; only mildly angsty in the last couple of chapters before the denouement. I remember being fond of this one and it's gratifying to learn that it held up for me.
Reasons to love Radmer:
He is forthright. "It seemed to me that since we liked each other on sight, it would be silly to go through the preliminaries, but if you prefer that, I'll call you Miss Hawkins for a week or two, erase from my mind the sight of you in Sibendina's dressing gown, and drop you off at the next bus stop."
He likes curvy girls. "You just go on eating," he said forcefully. "I like to be able to tell the front of a woman from her back, those skeletal types teetering round on four-inch heels don't appeal to me."
He is kind to Lavinia's sister, Peta.
Reason to be annoyed with Radmer:
He sells Lavinia short (at first). "You're sensible, your feet are firmly planted on the ground . . . You will never be tempted to reach for the moon, my dear."
And I like Lavinia. In spite of being "a little plump, and with a face which was neither plain nor pretty," she is kind and fairly even-tempered, accepting Radmer's compliments with aplomb although she isn't certain whether he is serious or not.
I love how she matter-of-factly accepts his proposal in front of witnesses at the hospital, dishing him out some of his own medicine, as it were. And then immediately leaves without giving him a chance to even speak.
I quite enjoyed this delightful book, which is a bit different from the usual Betty. No evil OW or OM; only mildly angsty in the last couple of chapters before the denouement. I remember being fond of this one and it's gratifying to learn that it held up for me.
November 28, 2014
I'm not usually fond of the marriage of convenience theme, but Betty Neels always manages to make them special.
Radmir had a very bad marriage and he thought that one of friendship would be ideal all around. He sells Lavinia short at first, but slowly he realizes what a gem he truly has. Of course, by this time he's convinced that Lavinia only wants the marriage they agreed upon. When Radmir seems to have withdrawn his friendship, Lavinia is truly heartbroken. She's convinced that Radmir has come to deeply regret their marriage. There's some delightful moments as Radmir has to win his bride and give her the HEA that she so deserves.
Radmir had a very bad marriage and he thought that one of friendship would be ideal all around. He sells Lavinia short at first, but slowly he realizes what a gem he truly has. Of course, by this time he's convinced that Lavinia only wants the marriage they agreed upon. When Radmir seems to have withdrawn his friendship, Lavinia is truly heartbroken. She's convinced that Radmir has come to deeply regret their marriage. There's some delightful moments as Radmir has to win his bride and give her the HEA that she so deserves.
April 10, 2014
While trying to better life for her teenaged sister, and herself, Lavinia Hawkins finds herself work as a nurse in Amsterdam. Nursing might be the same, but finding herself on the receiving end of the attentions of professor Radmer ter Bavinck are not the nor for her. She has lived a plain life, and finding herself involved with Radmer makes her wish for a more dramatic life.
Radmer believes he can wedge Lavinia in to his life. She can assume the duties of wife, and maintain his home, care for his daughter and her sister, and be there whenever he needs her, just not have an emotional attachment. Who needs love, when friendship is there. His work has always been his top priority, besides his daughter. But he comes to find, Lavinia might just be the most important of all.
Wonderful
Radmer believes he can wedge Lavinia in to his life. She can assume the duties of wife, and maintain his home, care for his daughter and her sister, and be there whenever he needs her, just not have an emotional attachment. Who needs love, when friendship is there. His work has always been his top priority, besides his daughter. But he comes to find, Lavinia might just be the most important of all.
Wonderful
June 10, 2021
I enjoyed this much better the second time around. Changing my rating from 3 to 4 stars. Original review below.
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Good, but not her best.
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Good, but not her best.
November 9, 2019
Sigh, another wonderful Neels. My review on my blog:
https://missbatesreadsromance.com/201...
https://missbatesreadsromance.com/201...
March 19, 2015
Sweet. Typical BN with strong characters and wonderfully descriptive. You can almost taste the food in the restuarants. Lavinia is a nurse in the UK whose sister is being raised by an uber bitch aunt and is threatening to run away. Lavinia hatches a plot to get a job in Holland so Peta can come and live with her. While in Holland she meets Radmer; a pathologist at her new hospital , who according to the grapevine is a widower with a 14 yr old daughter Sibby. Thanks to his persistence they begin a tentative friendship which culminates in his casual proposal of marriage while at lunch with his daughter . Lavinia is , of course, in love but Radmer wants a MOC with deep friendship and no more. The fun is in watching him become aware of and attracted to his gentle and loving wife much to his discomfort and surprise.
October 16, 2016
Lavinia needs to make a new life where she can have her teenage sister with her, away from the influence of their selfish and controlling aunt. This takes her to Holland and into the sphere of Radmer ter Bavinck. He is a widower with a teenage daughter whose marriage lives in his memory as something never to be repeated.
He likes Lavinia at once and sees that their needs were complimentary. Only he doesn't want love, only friendship in the marriage he offers.
Lavinia of course falls for him and it is fun watching Radmer slowly come to realise that he is missing out when he refused to consider a loving marriage with someone as sweet and kind as Lavinia. Only it seems like it's too late.
A lovely little read.
He likes Lavinia at once and sees that their needs were complimentary. Only he doesn't want love, only friendship in the marriage he offers.
Lavinia of course falls for him and it is fun watching Radmer slowly come to realise that he is missing out when he refused to consider a loving marriage with someone as sweet and kind as Lavinia. Only it seems like it's too late.
A lovely little read.
April 20, 2018
3.75*
I liked the first half so very much! There were little funny details, like Lavinia doing sums ON THE UNDERSIDE OF HER UNIFORM! And here I thought doing sums on the back of an envelope was how BN heroines did it haha!
Then there was the part Lavinia mentioned she had to diet to try slimming down. Radmer actually ROARED and told her to keep on eating...
‘Super, I’m famished, though I keep meaning not to eat, you know—only I get hungry.’
He was letting the dogs out and turned round to ask: ‘Not eating? A self-imposed penance?’
‘No—I’m trying to get really slim.’
Dong and Pobble were prancing round her and she bent to rub their ears and then jumped at his sudden roar. ‘You just go on eating,’ he said forcefully. ‘I like to be able to tell the front of a woman from her back, these skeletal types teetering round on four-inch soles don’t appeal to me.’
She laughed. ‘It would take months of dieting to get me to that state, but I promise you I’ll eat a good lunch, just to please you.’
LOVE!
I liked Radmer very much as he was trying to get to know Lavinia; he was funny, friendly and cheeky ( asking if he needed to erase the image of Lavinia in his daughter's dressing gown, which we read earlier was a bit too small for plump Lavinia!)...The problem was after he married her he pretty much ignored or avoided her. The stupid things he said to ensure a safe MOC for him being able to remain devoted to his work...I was going you stupid man, you are going to EAT EVERY WORD when you fall in love with Lavinia! I loved how he took out his hanky, tied a knot, to remind himself to buy Lavinia a fur wrap! This is as cute as RDD jingling loose change in his pockets!
The angst Lavinia felt...I totally got why she didn't feel she could try to make Radmer fall for her...that's kind of going back on their agreement. Radmer already did so much for her and Peta, so she felt honour bound to fufill her end of the agreement, meaning be a companion to Sibby, run his house and entertain his guests, so that basically he could be uninterrupted at work.
Only when his feeling changed, and poor Lavinia kept repeating the terms of their MOC, he got frustrated thinking Lavinia wanted to keep the MOC platonic...notice his gleams in his eyes and those rough kisses!
Peta and Sibby were so lovable, how atypical of teenage girls LOL! Their desperate attempt to cause a "showdown " worked! It was so funny when they explained why they did what they did and running away was plan 3! Plans 1 and 2 wouldn't work for hilarious reasons- they swam too well to drown, and throwing themselves in front of a car might actually kill them and it defeated the purpose! LOL
I with there had been more romantic interludes after the wedding...I was sad, not just Lavinia, that there was no more tête à tête! But it was heartening to see the more Radmer avoided Lavinia, the closer he was to declaring himself!
I liked the first half so very much! There were little funny details, like Lavinia doing sums ON THE UNDERSIDE OF HER UNIFORM! And here I thought doing sums on the back of an envelope was how BN heroines did it haha!
Then there was the part Lavinia mentioned she had to diet to try slimming down. Radmer actually ROARED and told her to keep on eating...
‘Super, I’m famished, though I keep meaning not to eat, you know—only I get hungry.’
He was letting the dogs out and turned round to ask: ‘Not eating? A self-imposed penance?’
‘No—I’m trying to get really slim.’
Dong and Pobble were prancing round her and she bent to rub their ears and then jumped at his sudden roar. ‘You just go on eating,’ he said forcefully. ‘I like to be able to tell the front of a woman from her back, these skeletal types teetering round on four-inch soles don’t appeal to me.’
She laughed. ‘It would take months of dieting to get me to that state, but I promise you I’ll eat a good lunch, just to please you.’
LOVE!
I liked Radmer very much as he was trying to get to know Lavinia; he was funny, friendly and cheeky ( asking if he needed to erase the image of Lavinia in his daughter's dressing gown, which we read earlier was a bit too small for plump Lavinia!)...The problem was after he married her he pretty much ignored or avoided her. The stupid things he said to ensure a safe MOC for him being able to remain devoted to his work...I was going you stupid man, you are going to EAT EVERY WORD when you fall in love with Lavinia! I loved how he took out his hanky, tied a knot, to remind himself to buy Lavinia a fur wrap! This is as cute as RDD jingling loose change in his pockets!
The angst Lavinia felt...I totally got why she didn't feel she could try to make Radmer fall for her...that's kind of going back on their agreement. Radmer already did so much for her and Peta, so she felt honour bound to fufill her end of the agreement, meaning be a companion to Sibby, run his house and entertain his guests, so that basically he could be uninterrupted at work.
Only when his feeling changed, and poor Lavinia kept repeating the terms of their MOC, he got frustrated thinking Lavinia wanted to keep the MOC platonic...notice his gleams in his eyes and those rough kisses!
Peta and Sibby were so lovable, how atypical of teenage girls LOL! Their desperate attempt to cause a "showdown " worked! It was so funny when they explained why they did what they did and running away was plan 3! Plans 1 and 2 wouldn't work for hilarious reasons- they swam too well to drown, and throwing themselves in front of a car might actually kill them and it defeated the purpose! LOL
I with there had been more romantic interludes after the wedding...I was sad, not just Lavinia, that there was no more tête à tête! But it was heartening to see the more Radmer avoided Lavinia, the closer he was to declaring himself!
April 9, 2017
Bentley. With a Rolls and Mini on order!
I usually don't like MoC stories, even from La Neels, but his one was good.
There were some glaring typos - Lavinia taking an English lesson, some mixed up pronouns - which were highly unusual.
Radmer was great! He encouraged Lavinia to eat, was a super dancer and was clearly a great dad.
Lavinia was a pretty typical mousy BN who came with her younger sister Peta. Her concern over prices was nice.
No OW. A little drama/angst regarding Radmer's first wife but nothing too dramatic.
I usually don't like MoC stories, even from La Neels, but his one was good.
There were some glaring typos - Lavinia taking an English lesson, some mixed up pronouns - which were highly unusual.
Radmer was great! He encouraged Lavinia to eat, was a super dancer and was clearly a great dad.
Lavinia was a pretty typical mousy BN who came with her younger sister Peta. Her concern over prices was nice.
No OW. A little drama/angst regarding Radmer's first wife but nothing too dramatic.
Read
October 27, 2013Back cover blurb:
A nursing job in Holland was the only way Lavinia Hawkins could ensure a home and security for herself and her young sister, Peta. Yet within weeks of arriving she was married to the devastatingly handsome Professor Radmer ter Bavinck. Radmer had assured Lavinia that the marriage would be on a friendly basis only. He needed a kind stepmother for his daughter and a competent housekeeper to run his home. It seemed to be the ideal arrangement—for everyone except Lavinia!
A nursing job in Holland was the only way Lavinia Hawkins could ensure a home and security for herself and her young sister, Peta. Yet within weeks of arriving she was married to the devastatingly handsome Professor Radmer ter Bavinck. Radmer had assured Lavinia that the marriage would be on a friendly basis only. He needed a kind stepmother for his daughter and a competent housekeeper to run his home. It seemed to be the ideal arrangement—for everyone except Lavinia!
February 23, 2016
I picked this up as a "blind date with a book". The story itself is sound in theory, but the execution is uneven at best. The language is dated, but until I examined the copyright I had no idea what date. It reads as if English were not the author's first language. Honestly speaking I wouldn't recommend it, it's merit as a romantic story does not outweigh the awkwardness in the reading.
May 18, 2011
Sweet clean romance
August 26, 2014
Swwet and romantic.
A feeling of good ending with the get together.
A feeling of good ending with the get together.
September 27, 2020
This was one of my early reads and at age 10 was a very enjoyable read.
March 19, 2021
Sweet Read
Must read, and a new favourite of mine from this author. Betty wrote romance with feeling.
It’s a yes from me
Must read, and a new favourite of mine from this author. Betty wrote romance with feeling.
It’s a yes from me
November 16, 2013
Very sweet but as usual you don't learn enough about the hero.
November 2, 2025
4.3 stars. this is the one where h (26yrs) is a plain jane english nurse who gets a job in amsterdam to be able afford to support herself and her 16 Yr old sister. there, she meets H, a rich Dutch doctor (40 yrs), a widower set in his ways who has a 14 Yr old daughter and no intention of ever falling in love again following a bad marriage.
but then he meets h and she has a snarky retort to his own impertinent comment when they meet. he is intrigued and soon afterwards asks her on a date, during which he enjoys her honest company.
after that he avoids her, and her excitement about him dies down and she feels sad. but then he decides to stop avoiding her, and finds himself thinking that perhaps he needs a wife who can be a friend to him and a much needed mother/sister figure that his lonely daughter needs, so he asks her for a MOC and offers a home to her sister too.
she has fallen for him and cares for him too much to not want to make his life comfortable and so she agrees.
After marriage they are friends but she finds herself frustrated because she longs for more and feels spurned, which is the VERY THING he said he didn't want and specifically why he wanted no emotions or love in his marriage. he specifically said tonher that he prefers to not have amy emotions in the marriage so that neither one can ever feel spurned or hurt by the other. our poor h! she tries her best hide her feelings and just to be a good wife. he is busy with work and though he doesnt completely abandon her, he only wver takes her out with the kids along. his daughter is lovely to her, and he is lovely to her sister, and it should all be great but our h can't help longing for more than polite companionship from him. she craves his company and attention and respect and approval.
stuff happens where they are there for each other. eg he helped her get her sis out of the clutches of a mean rich bully aunt who had taken the girl in for a year and now wanted to keep the girl as an unpaid skivvy companion. and they both worked together to rescue a family during a fire during which he was angry when she put her life at risk.
SPOILERS
After the fire incident, he becomes a bit aloof with her and starts subtly avoiding her, while she is longing for his love amd approval even more. she shops for nice dresses, has her hair done, he barely notices. meanwhile the two girls are getting concerned that it's not a happy marriage and they so want for the pair to be happy.
MORE SPOILERS
the girls conspire to run away to force the couple to work together to find them and thus force them to rely on each other and fall in love... that's the third act climax. no breakup in this one alas. which is annoying because H did put h through the ringer a little bit when he played it cool and even stayed out really late one night, making her worry he was with another woman etc. so I wanted her to tell him to sod off. lol. however, instead they worked together to find the girls and he finally admitted his feelings.
it was good to hear him admit he had been a fool and that even when he was denying his feelings, he had been falling for her. that he's actually asked her to marry him because subconsciously he knew even then that he didn't want to be without her. aaaw!
the book was really good, very engaging and at one point I felt it would be top drawer for a Betty book, however the lack of third act breakup and the absence of any strong angst did make it drop down a bit to 4.3 stars. it didnt quite give me all the feels, though it did give me some strong frustration towards the H. even so, this was a very enjoyable read and Betty lovers will v likely enjoy it.
but then he meets h and she has a snarky retort to his own impertinent comment when they meet. he is intrigued and soon afterwards asks her on a date, during which he enjoys her honest company.
after that he avoids her, and her excitement about him dies down and she feels sad. but then he decides to stop avoiding her, and finds himself thinking that perhaps he needs a wife who can be a friend to him and a much needed mother/sister figure that his lonely daughter needs, so he asks her for a MOC and offers a home to her sister too.
she has fallen for him and cares for him too much to not want to make his life comfortable and so she agrees.
After marriage they are friends but she finds herself frustrated because she longs for more and feels spurned, which is the VERY THING he said he didn't want and specifically why he wanted no emotions or love in his marriage. he specifically said tonher that he prefers to not have amy emotions in the marriage so that neither one can ever feel spurned or hurt by the other. our poor h! she tries her best hide her feelings and just to be a good wife. he is busy with work and though he doesnt completely abandon her, he only wver takes her out with the kids along. his daughter is lovely to her, and he is lovely to her sister, and it should all be great but our h can't help longing for more than polite companionship from him. she craves his company and attention and respect and approval.
stuff happens where they are there for each other. eg he helped her get her sis out of the clutches of a mean rich bully aunt who had taken the girl in for a year and now wanted to keep the girl as an unpaid skivvy companion. and they both worked together to rescue a family during a fire during which he was angry when she put her life at risk.
SPOILERS
After the fire incident, he becomes a bit aloof with her and starts subtly avoiding her, while she is longing for his love amd approval even more. she shops for nice dresses, has her hair done, he barely notices. meanwhile the two girls are getting concerned that it's not a happy marriage and they so want for the pair to be happy.
MORE SPOILERS
the girls conspire to run away to force the couple to work together to find them and thus force them to rely on each other and fall in love... that's the third act climax. no breakup in this one alas. which is annoying because H did put h through the ringer a little bit when he played it cool and even stayed out really late one night, making her worry he was with another woman etc. so I wanted her to tell him to sod off. lol. however, instead they worked together to find the girls and he finally admitted his feelings.
it was good to hear him admit he had been a fool and that even when he was denying his feelings, he had been falling for her. that he's actually asked her to marry him because subconsciously he knew even then that he didn't want to be without her. aaaw!
the book was really good, very engaging and at one point I felt it would be top drawer for a Betty book, however the lack of third act breakup and the absence of any strong angst did make it drop down a bit to 4.3 stars. it didnt quite give me all the feels, though it did give me some strong frustration towards the H. even so, this was a very enjoyable read and Betty lovers will v likely enjoy it.
January 8, 2021
Nice clean romance about Lavinia, an English nurse and RDD prof. Radmer ter Bavinck (Rich Dutch Doctor in Betty Neels fandom language, as I have understood). Apparently RDDs and RBDs (Rich British Doctor) can often be found in BN (Betty Neel) romances.
The plot is an MoC (Marriage of Convenience) with the obvious HEA. Lavinia goes to Amsterdam to work in a hospital, because she can make more money there than in England. In the hospital, she meets RDD prof. ter Bavinck, who after a few meetings proposes an MoC and Lavinia accepts.
I liked the Dutch setting, with lots of references to places I know in Amsterdam, Friesland and many other places. I also liked the writing and story telling of Betty Neels. The first reason for not rating it higher than three stars is that for me, there was too much of a contrast between the composed, self assured, wealthy professor Radmer ter Bavinck and the unsure and hopelessly in love nurse Lavinia. The second reason was that I found some of the events and miscommunications too unlikely: Laviania and Radmer finding a house and barn on fire and saving everybody, and Radmer telling Lavinia that she could never come between him and his former wife Helga, which later on proved to be BS.
The plot is an MoC (Marriage of Convenience) with the obvious HEA. Lavinia goes to Amsterdam to work in a hospital, because she can make more money there than in England. In the hospital, she meets RDD prof. ter Bavinck, who after a few meetings proposes an MoC and Lavinia accepts.
I liked the Dutch setting, with lots of references to places I know in Amsterdam, Friesland and many other places. I also liked the writing and story telling of Betty Neels. The first reason for not rating it higher than three stars is that for me, there was too much of a contrast between the composed, self assured, wealthy professor Radmer ter Bavinck and the unsure and hopelessly in love nurse Lavinia. The second reason was that I found some of the events and miscommunications too unlikely: Laviania and Radmer finding a house and barn on fire and saving everybody, and Radmer telling Lavinia that she could never come between him and his former wife Helga, which later on proved to be BS.
May 24, 2022
It has been a long while since I last read a BN book but my old-fashioned heart is happy after this one. The familiarity was there, always has from Betty's books. We have Radmer and Lavinia on this one, with a 14 year age difference and they married on a friendly basis but ended up falling in love with each other, just the usual. However the ending on this one was pretty awkward and I thought it should have been better than that. Radmer confessed his love for Lavinia in a mall-like location, so it wasn't really that ideal, and the circumstances on which how they got there was quite off-hand, so I didn't really get to feel the usual swoony vibes in Betty's novels. And Radmer is one of those heroes where he goes back and forth with his intentions and it annoys me - he woos Lavinia into marrying him and yet when he had come to love Lavinia in their marriage he stops wooing her just because he's scared she doesn't feel the same way, like dude, you're the man, you can woo the woman into loving you, more especially now since you're already married! Hmm, I guess men like Radmer and a lot of Betty's heroes are not sensible enough to realize that. Overall this was a good BN comeback read for me. It shall be the start, or the continuation rather, of my Betty Neels marathon.
December 20, 2020
One of the best Neels romances
I've read a significant amount of Neels' books, and this is a long the best. The hero may act distant at times, and of course it takes something dramatic to force a confession, but overall he is a charming man. Lavinia, who is cast in one of the two typical modes for a Neels' heroine, is plain, but delightfully forthright. There's a good deal of banter and laughter between herself and Radner. Their MoC (one of my favorite tropes) is accomplished early in the book, to allow them time to pine for one another. For once we don't have a live Other Woman to cause problems and misunderstandings. The biggest problems separating them are Radner's absorption in his work and Lavinia's assumption that he still loves his deceased first wife. In the end, as is oy right in any good romance by Neels, we have our HEA...and it is sweetly done, with a fair amount of time given to confessions on both their part. I give this one 5 stars and recommend it. A great start to becoming a Neels fan of you've never read her books, or a fantastic addition if you're already a fan. This is making my top five.
I've read a significant amount of Neels' books, and this is a long the best. The hero may act distant at times, and of course it takes something dramatic to force a confession, but overall he is a charming man. Lavinia, who is cast in one of the two typical modes for a Neels' heroine, is plain, but delightfully forthright. There's a good deal of banter and laughter between herself and Radner. Their MoC (one of my favorite tropes) is accomplished early in the book, to allow them time to pine for one another. For once we don't have a live Other Woman to cause problems and misunderstandings. The biggest problems separating them are Radner's absorption in his work and Lavinia's assumption that he still loves his deceased first wife. In the end, as is oy right in any good romance by Neels, we have our HEA...and it is sweetly done, with a fair amount of time given to confessions on both their part. I give this one 5 stars and recommend it. A great start to becoming a Neels fan of you've never read her books, or a fantastic addition if you're already a fan. This is making my top five.
November 22, 2022
It's been a while since I've read this book. I liked it more than I remembered. There are differences in this story than other BN books. In this book, there's no witchy - with a b - former g/f intruding into the couple's lives spewing her venom. BUT, there is the awful aunty. Another difference is that the reader knows by the end of the first chapter that Radmer likes Lavinia instantly. The rest is the usual formulaic story - gorgeous clothes, luxury vehicles, devoted servants, food and, of course, a tragedy to make the story interesting. I'll read this one again for the first time.
November 9, 2023
Great through the end!
I love this story of Lavinia and Radmer. There were no loose ends And the story just float. Even though Lavinia was plain, just like all of the other girls in Betty Neels' books, She didn't belabor the point much. She was in love with Radmer before they even got to know each other well. Radmer was in love with her before he even knew it. I love that he was able to help with her sister and that she was able to help with his daughter. I love that they got a long so well as a family. It's just a great read !
I love this story of Lavinia and Radmer. There were no loose ends And the story just float. Even though Lavinia was plain, just like all of the other girls in Betty Neels' books, She didn't belabor the point much. She was in love with Radmer before they even got to know each other well. Radmer was in love with her before he even knew it. I love that he was able to help with her sister and that she was able to help with his daughter. I love that they got a long so well as a family. It's just a great read !
May 6, 2018
This was a really good story. A marriage of convenience that turns into a love story.
A doctor aska a nurse to dinner and leads to a friendship. Then to marriage, but not a romantic relationship. He has a daughter that needs a mother and she has a sister that she needs to get away from an unloving aunt.
Lavinia falls in love with Radmer. but he doesn't return that love or so she thinks. Its a sweet story that
A doctor aska a nurse to dinner and leads to a friendship. Then to marriage, but not a romantic relationship. He has a daughter that needs a mother and she has a sister that she needs to get away from an unloving aunt.
Lavinia falls in love with Radmer. but he doesn't return that love or so she thinks. Its a sweet story that
October 9, 2018
If you're a BN fan, and like stories about marriage of convenience, this might be for you. I have a love-hate relationship with Betty Neels novels...I like that they are clean, but sometimes, I want to strangle the heroines... and the heroes. As for Lavinia, I'll let her off the hook, but this is not one of my favourite BN stories.
February 24, 2024
This one was so good!
New to Betty read this one its Real good and sweet very satisfying! I am re reading the complete list of Betty Neels in today's world 2024 its lovely to go visit another less worried time!
New to Betty read this one its Real good and sweet very satisfying! I am re reading the complete list of Betty Neels in today's world 2024 its lovely to go visit another less worried time!
August 25, 2017
Very Enjoyable!
The usual story line with English nurse and Dutch doctor. Sweet story filled with nice people. Glad that I took the time to read it.
The usual story line with English nurse and Dutch doctor. Sweet story filled with nice people. Glad that I took the time to read it.
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
July 4, 2019
Lovely Story
I adore this book. I've read it over and over. Never tires me. Absolutely love watching the relationship between Radmer and Lavinia evolve.
I adore this book. I've read it over and over. Never tires me. Absolutely love watching the relationship between Radmer and Lavinia evolve.
April 27, 2020
Very nice, pleasant Neels novel involving a marriage of convenience. Hospitals play a very small role and there are a couple of unrealistically obliging teenage girls.
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