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The Promise of Happiness
She knew it was time to leave!
Determined to break the stranglehold of a selfish stepmother and stepbrother, Becky left home. She'd begin nursing again; make a home for herself and Pooch and Bertie, the pets she'd brought with her.
Then at dawn on a rainy highway, fate took a hand--fate in the form of Baron Raukema van den Eck.
His mother needed a nurse and Becky filled the bill. Only one thing marred her new life. Poor plain Becky fell desperately, hopelessly in love....
Determined to break the stranglehold of a selfish stepmother and stepbrother, Becky left home. She'd begin nursing again; make a home for herself and Pooch and Bertie, the pets she'd brought with her.
Then at dawn on a rainy highway, fate took a hand--fate in the form of Baron Raukema van den Eck.
His mother needed a nurse and Becky filled the bill. Only one thing marred her new life. Poor plain Becky fell desperately, hopelessly in love....
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
62 people are currently reading
279 people want to read
About the author
Betty Neels
582 books419 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 75 reviews
September 6, 2018
I have a soft spot for romances, and a couple of GR friends who adore Betty Neels, so I checked my local library and found like 20 titles! Apparently there are still a lot of Betty Neels fans out there, 30 plus years after she did most of her writing (they even refer to her as "TGB" - The Great Betty). So I read through the blurbs of several of her books in the library and picked out two that seemed most likely to appeal to my sensibilities, this one and Roses and Champagne.
Rebecca Saunders is a Cinderella type of character, a young British woman who's been living with an abusive stepmother and stepbrother who've basically turned her into an unpaid slave in their isolated country home, threatening to kill her beloved old cat and dog if she doesn't cooperate. So underfed and overworked Becky does, at least until one day she overhears her stepbrother planning to kill the cat and dog. So Becky takes off on her two feet, walking several miles to a bus station with cat and dog in tow. She gets picked up in the rain by a Dutch doctor, Baron Tiele van something-or-other, who ends up hiring Becky (who is a nurse) to take care of his elderly mother. He thinks Becky is an unappealing, timid little mouse, and she pretty much is, though she has a bit of spunk.
So Becky travels with the Baroness through several countries in Europe, with the Baron popping up periodically, and of course she falls in love with the Baron even though it's hopeless, he has a gorgeous girlfriend, etc. etc. You know where this is going, but is the trip worth it? Well, it depends on your tastes in romances.
This is a rather cute retro type of romance. It was originally published in 1979 but truly, its style is more like something written in the 1950's or 60's. I confess that I do like old-fashioned romances, but this doctor-nurse romance was a bit too stodgy, slow and predictable even for me. I read Roses and Champagne as well, and it struck me about the same way. They both had their moments, but as romances go they were pretty underwhelming for me.
A soft 3 stars. I guess TGB isn't my cuppa tea.
Rebecca Saunders is a Cinderella type of character, a young British woman who's been living with an abusive stepmother and stepbrother who've basically turned her into an unpaid slave in their isolated country home, threatening to kill her beloved old cat and dog if she doesn't cooperate. So underfed and overworked Becky does, at least until one day she overhears her stepbrother planning to kill the cat and dog. So Becky takes off on her two feet, walking several miles to a bus station with cat and dog in tow. She gets picked up in the rain by a Dutch doctor, Baron Tiele van something-or-other, who ends up hiring Becky (who is a nurse) to take care of his elderly mother. He thinks Becky is an unappealing, timid little mouse, and she pretty much is, though she has a bit of spunk.
So Becky travels with the Baroness through several countries in Europe, with the Baron popping up periodically, and of course she falls in love with the Baron even though it's hopeless, he has a gorgeous girlfriend, etc. etc. You know where this is going, but is the trip worth it? Well, it depends on your tastes in romances.
This is a rather cute retro type of romance. It was originally published in 1979 but truly, its style is more like something written in the 1950's or 60's. I confess that I do like old-fashioned romances, but this doctor-nurse romance was a bit too stodgy, slow and predictable even for me. I read Roses and Champagne as well, and it struck me about the same way. They both had their moments, but as romances go they were pretty underwhelming for me.
A soft 3 stars. I guess TGB isn't my cuppa tea.
October 5, 2021
I dropped it down to 3 stars on a re-read.
The Promise of Happiness had a different opening from other romances by Ms. Neels but was 100% Pure Betty. Rebecca Saunders was found on foot at the crack of dawn with her cat, ‘Pooch’, and her dog, ‘Bertie’, by the irascible Tiele Raukema van den Eck. A surgeon, of course, and a Baron to boot. Becky was fleeing from her stepmother and stepbrother: emotionally abusive people who took advantage of her. The good doctor had not intended to get involved other than to give her a ride and listen to her tale.
Becky leaned toward the right side of shy until Baron opened his mouth. He had a habit of running hot or cold. In turn, Becky would act snappish.
TRvdE convinced her to nurse his mother, a temporary invalid. In turn, he would provide a substantial salary and a home for the short-term.
Naturally there was The Other Woman, the pulchritudinous Nina van Doorn. But you and I know the truth: she’s a gold digger.
There were cars. With speed. Because the good doctor liked to drive fast.
Make sure you are not hungry because what visit to Neeldom is without thick slabs of cake, thin slices of bread and butter, dollops of whip cream and tea? Or coffee.
I loved the numerous times Tiele Raukema van den Eck responded to Becky after one of his blunders (and he made plenty of them):
My dear girl, what a thoughtless man I am! He was.
-or-
Oh, God-that, too! Forgive me, Becky! Maybe.
-or-
I must apologize, Becky, it was not intended that you leave like this. Then you shouldn't have uttered a word.
One of the best scenes is when Becky attends a symphony with a coworker. And the Baron is in attendance.
Enough said.
The Promise of Happiness had a different opening from other romances by Ms. Neels but was 100% Pure Betty. Rebecca Saunders was found on foot at the crack of dawn with her cat, ‘Pooch’, and her dog, ‘Bertie’, by the irascible Tiele Raukema van den Eck. A surgeon, of course, and a Baron to boot. Becky was fleeing from her stepmother and stepbrother: emotionally abusive people who took advantage of her. The good doctor had not intended to get involved other than to give her a ride and listen to her tale.
Becky leaned toward the right side of shy until Baron opened his mouth. He had a habit of running hot or cold. In turn, Becky would act snappish.
TRvdE convinced her to nurse his mother, a temporary invalid. In turn, he would provide a substantial salary and a home for the short-term.
Naturally there was The Other Woman, the pulchritudinous Nina van Doorn. But you and I know the truth: she’s a gold digger.
There were cars. With speed. Because the good doctor liked to drive fast.
Make sure you are not hungry because what visit to Neeldom is without thick slabs of cake, thin slices of bread and butter, dollops of whip cream and tea? Or coffee.
I loved the numerous times Tiele Raukema van den Eck responded to Becky after one of his blunders (and he made plenty of them):
My dear girl, what a thoughtless man I am! He was.
-or-
Oh, God-that, too! Forgive me, Becky! Maybe.
-or-
I must apologize, Becky, it was not intended that you leave like this. Then you shouldn't have uttered a word.
One of the best scenes is when Becky attends a symphony with a coworker. And the Baron is in attendance.
Enough said.
September 23, 2025
This story is too cute for words. It's another doctor/nurse combo, but they meet not in a hospital, but when the doctor is desperate to find a nurse to accompany his mother on a trip to Norway and the heroine is desperate to get away from her stepbrother's house. (He was going to kill her cat and dog). Hero takes care of cat and dog. Heroine takes care of dear old mum - and they meet again in Norway where heroine overhears the hero speaking disparagingly of her looks. (He's not attracted to thin mice). Hero's family thinks Becky might just be the one for the dear doctor and arrange it for Becky to return with them to Holland.
Becky is a great heroine - plucky, forthright, and loving. No wonder the hero fell for her.
Becky is a great heroine - plucky, forthright, and loving. No wonder the hero fell for her.
August 3, 2019
8/2/19. No matter how many times I read this book, its magic never fails to utterly charm me!
**********************
Cinderella runs away from home with her dog and cat. She is rescued by Prince Charming in a Rolls-Royce.
Our Cinderella, Becky Saunders by name, has a mean, selfish stepmother and truly evil stepbrother, Basil. She puts up with their abuses for two years until she hears Basil tell his mother he's going to drown Bertie and Pooch (who is the cat, oddly enough) the next day. Becky gets up at 4 AM, gathers up the £30.06 she has managed to save, ties a stout string around Bertie’s neck for a lead, pops Pooch into a plastic bag, and runs away in the pouring rain, thinking to find a nursing job in a nearby town.
A man in a Rolls-Royce pulls up and offers her a lift. He is Baron Tiele Raukema van den Eck. He hires her to look after his mother, who is quite nice and is suffering from a broken leg and torn ligament, on a cruise to Norway.
Becky is of course grateful to the Baron for helping to turn her luck. The Baron scarcely thinks of her at all except as a "thin mouse," as he describes her to his mother.
After the holiday in Norway, they return to Tiele's house in Friesland. Waiting to meet Tiele is Nina, the requisite gorgeous OW. Becky wisely doesn't attempt to compete for the Baron's attention; indeed, she speaks quite tartly to him at times, which Tiele's friendly sister, Tialda, finds amusing.
After the Baroness recovers, Tiele gets Becky a job at the local hospital as promised. He plans to take her out for dinner but when Becky says she has nothing to wear, he quickly revises his plans and arranges for his cook to prepare a picnic. This is the first indication that he is becoming attracted to her (he has kissed her once before). Perhaps he missed seeing her everyday; perhaps she grew on him - I do wish TGB had included his POV as she did in later books.
At the end of the evening, Tiele tells Becky that he enjoyed "every single moment" of the picnic and kisses her hard. As he leaves, Becky has her DR. She cries at the hopelessness with Bertie and Pooch offering comfort.
The Baroness and Tialda keep in touch with Becky, too; inviting her for tea and such. The Baroness makes no secret that she dislikes Nina intensely.
A few days later, Bertie escapes from the flat and gets lost during a storm. Tiele just happens along when Becky is searching for him; they rescue him from under a canal bridge where he was trapped in some old junk. After they are all back at Becky's flat and cleaned up, Tiele gives her brandy, which causes Becky to speak uninhibitedly. She tells Tiele he shouldn't marry Nina, but "someone kind." He gets nasty with her. You can read between the lines that he is fighting his growing attraction to her.
A few days later, Tiele gives Becky a lift from his mother's home; Nina is also in the car. Becky refuses his offer of a further lift, saying, "I suppose you think it's funny to watch her snubbing me – I expect you think I deserve it, too. Probably I do. Thank you for the lift." Tiele astonishes both girls by leaving Nina alone in the car.
He tells Becky he would prefer her to call him Tiele and tells her he likes her. She mentions the "not my cup of tea" comment to which he responds with the very romantic "and I was quite right – but I do believe that you're my glass of champagne, Becky." Swoon! IMO, this is the best line in the book.
So the Baron has stopped fighting his feelings and begins to actively pursue Becky. An awesome scene is the evening he drags Nina to a chamber music performance just because Becky is going with a houseman. Afterwards he offers them all a lift home, contriving to leave Becky until last when he takes her out to eat pancakes and then takes her home and comes in for coffee. He tells her she's becoming a pretty girl and then says, "Beauty is nothing other than the promise of happiness." He kisses her, "Goodnight, my pretty little mouse." Double swoon!
Tiele asks Becky to go to London for his mother's consultation with an ortho specialist. Before they go, there is a scene at Tiele's house when Nina comes in and rails at Tiele (sadly, in Dutch). When she has gone, Becky asks what that was all about and Tiele says, "you."
In London, there is more romantically suggestive dialogue and finally Tiele tells Becky that he told Nina that he was going to marry Becky and tells Becky to get used to the idea.
Next day, Becky is setting out for a walk and runs into Boorish Basil (I wanted to use another "B" moniker, but I'm keeping it SFB (Safe For Betty). He tries to drag her away, daring her to make a scene. Fortunately Tiele is across the street and comes to the rescue, telling Basil that he will "make a scene you will never forget." Over a cuppa, Tiele tells Becky he cannot live without her and refuses to let go of her hand. "I've been wanting to hold your hand for a long time, and now that I have it, I don't intend to let it go." When Becky reminds him that she hasn't yet been asked to marry him, Tiele says "dare to say no," and kisses her.
I love every single thing about this book. It has always been and still is my very favorite Betty Neels book.
**********************
Cinderella runs away from home with her dog and cat. She is rescued by Prince Charming in a Rolls-Royce.
Our Cinderella, Becky Saunders by name, has a mean, selfish stepmother and truly evil stepbrother, Basil. She puts up with their abuses for two years until she hears Basil tell his mother he's going to drown Bertie and Pooch (who is the cat, oddly enough) the next day. Becky gets up at 4 AM, gathers up the £30.06 she has managed to save, ties a stout string around Bertie’s neck for a lead, pops Pooch into a plastic bag, and runs away in the pouring rain, thinking to find a nursing job in a nearby town.
A man in a Rolls-Royce pulls up and offers her a lift. He is Baron Tiele Raukema van den Eck. He hires her to look after his mother, who is quite nice and is suffering from a broken leg and torn ligament, on a cruise to Norway.
Becky is of course grateful to the Baron for helping to turn her luck. The Baron scarcely thinks of her at all except as a "thin mouse," as he describes her to his mother.
After the holiday in Norway, they return to Tiele's house in Friesland. Waiting to meet Tiele is Nina, the requisite gorgeous OW. Becky wisely doesn't attempt to compete for the Baron's attention; indeed, she speaks quite tartly to him at times, which Tiele's friendly sister, Tialda, finds amusing.
After the Baroness recovers, Tiele gets Becky a job at the local hospital as promised. He plans to take her out for dinner but when Becky says she has nothing to wear, he quickly revises his plans and arranges for his cook to prepare a picnic. This is the first indication that he is becoming attracted to her (he has kissed her once before). Perhaps he missed seeing her everyday; perhaps she grew on him - I do wish TGB had included his POV as she did in later books.
At the end of the evening, Tiele tells Becky that he enjoyed "every single moment" of the picnic and kisses her hard. As he leaves, Becky has her DR. She cries at the hopelessness with Bertie and Pooch offering comfort.
The Baroness and Tialda keep in touch with Becky, too; inviting her for tea and such. The Baroness makes no secret that she dislikes Nina intensely.
A few days later, Bertie escapes from the flat and gets lost during a storm. Tiele just happens along when Becky is searching for him; they rescue him from under a canal bridge where he was trapped in some old junk. After they are all back at Becky's flat and cleaned up, Tiele gives her brandy, which causes Becky to speak uninhibitedly. She tells Tiele he shouldn't marry Nina, but "someone kind." He gets nasty with her. You can read between the lines that he is fighting his growing attraction to her.
A few days later, Tiele gives Becky a lift from his mother's home; Nina is also in the car. Becky refuses his offer of a further lift, saying, "I suppose you think it's funny to watch her snubbing me – I expect you think I deserve it, too. Probably I do. Thank you for the lift." Tiele astonishes both girls by leaving Nina alone in the car.
He tells Becky he would prefer her to call him Tiele and tells her he likes her. She mentions the "not my cup of tea" comment to which he responds with the very romantic "and I was quite right – but I do believe that you're my glass of champagne, Becky." Swoon! IMO, this is the best line in the book.
So the Baron has stopped fighting his feelings and begins to actively pursue Becky. An awesome scene is the evening he drags Nina to a chamber music performance just because Becky is going with a houseman. Afterwards he offers them all a lift home, contriving to leave Becky until last when he takes her out to eat pancakes and then takes her home and comes in for coffee. He tells her she's becoming a pretty girl and then says, "Beauty is nothing other than the promise of happiness." He kisses her, "Goodnight, my pretty little mouse." Double swoon!
Tiele asks Becky to go to London for his mother's consultation with an ortho specialist. Before they go, there is a scene at Tiele's house when Nina comes in and rails at Tiele (sadly, in Dutch). When she has gone, Becky asks what that was all about and Tiele says, "you."
In London, there is more romantically suggestive dialogue and finally Tiele tells Becky that he told Nina that he was going to marry Becky and tells Becky to get used to the idea.
Next day, Becky is setting out for a walk and runs into Boorish Basil (I wanted to use another "B" moniker, but I'm keeping it SFB (Safe For Betty). He tries to drag her away, daring her to make a scene. Fortunately Tiele is across the street and comes to the rescue, telling Basil that he will "make a scene you will never forget." Over a cuppa, Tiele tells Becky he cannot live without her and refuses to let go of her hand. "I've been wanting to hold your hand for a long time, and now that I have it, I don't intend to let it go." When Becky reminds him that she hasn't yet been asked to marry him, Tiele says "dare to say no," and kisses her.
I love every single thing about this book. It has always been and still is my very favorite Betty Neels book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2020
Heroine Becky has a stepbrother named BASIL, so we know what that means in Neelsland! Evil Basil and his equally evil mother have kept Becky a domestic prisoner/unpaid servant by threatening the lives of her elderly dog Bertie and kitty Pooch. When Basil threatens to shoot them, our intrepid heroine finally escapes on foot with the critters at dawn, in the pouring rain, and is offered a ride by the RDD. And so begins the tale of the mouse and the haughty, often thoughtless Baron.
I love this story. Becky is all that a Neels heroine should be—beneath that mousy exterior lives an occasionally snappy, extremely likeable young lady who charms everyone she encounters (with the exception of the good doctor’s horrible girlfriend Nina Van Doorn—the perfect name for a gold-digging, animal-hating horror who would be a good match for Basil), who doesn’t hesitate to take the RDD to task for his frequent rudeness and liking for his own way. Hero Tiele is kind of a jerk to Becky to begin with (although his kind actions and insight into her feelings on occasion speak louder than his haughty ways, as with most of Neels’ heroes). (No surprise he’s such good friends with jerky Radinck in Caroline’s Waterloo, in which Becky and Tiele make a happy appearance after their own HEA.) I didn’t like at all how Tiele describes Becky as a plain mouse to his family on several occasions and doesn’t apologize when she overhears him and is quite demoralized and hurt—but he DOES apologize most sincerely for thoughtless behavior on several occasions, so he does redeem himself, and he’s definitely swoon-worthy once he has his Dawning Realization and begins to seriously court his “pretty mouse.”
It’s Betty, so you know mostly what you’ll get, but add bonus points for a travelogue of Norway, before the inevitable return to Holland, and for a spunky heroine who so enjoys the renewal of her freedom and the modest gains and independence she achieves once she, with the hero's assistance, procures the security of a job and a home. Her pleasure in her tiny apartment where she can make a home with her critters and in an infrequent splurge on a pretty dress are so engaging and really very moving:
The thought of a new job and freedom went to her head like strong drink, so that she bought a knitted top and skirt in a pleasing shade of old rose, just because she found it pretty. She tried it on again that evening when she was getting ready for bed and pranced around her room, her mousey hair done in an elaborate whirl and her best shoes on her feet. Life was fun, she told herself.
From 1979, one of my very favorite BN books to date.
BN car porn:
The hero, like many a BN hero before him, “is a great one for speed” (says a FFR who taught him to drive as a boy), and enjoys his cars, including:
A Rolls Royce (common for BN’s RDDs):
And a not-so-typical Porsche:
I love this story. Becky is all that a Neels heroine should be—beneath that mousy exterior lives an occasionally snappy, extremely likeable young lady who charms everyone she encounters (with the exception of the good doctor’s horrible girlfriend Nina Van Doorn—the perfect name for a gold-digging, animal-hating horror who would be a good match for Basil), who doesn’t hesitate to take the RDD to task for his frequent rudeness and liking for his own way. Hero Tiele is kind of a jerk to Becky to begin with (although his kind actions and insight into her feelings on occasion speak louder than his haughty ways, as with most of Neels’ heroes). (No surprise he’s such good friends with jerky Radinck in Caroline’s Waterloo, in which Becky and Tiele make a happy appearance after their own HEA.) I didn’t like at all how Tiele describes Becky as a plain mouse to his family on several occasions and doesn’t apologize when she overhears him and is quite demoralized and hurt—but he DOES apologize most sincerely for thoughtless behavior on several occasions, so he does redeem himself, and he’s definitely swoon-worthy once he has his Dawning Realization and begins to seriously court his “pretty mouse.”
It’s Betty, so you know mostly what you’ll get, but add bonus points for a travelogue of Norway, before the inevitable return to Holland, and for a spunky heroine who so enjoys the renewal of her freedom and the modest gains and independence she achieves once she, with the hero's assistance, procures the security of a job and a home. Her pleasure in her tiny apartment where she can make a home with her critters and in an infrequent splurge on a pretty dress are so engaging and really very moving:
The thought of a new job and freedom went to her head like strong drink, so that she bought a knitted top and skirt in a pleasing shade of old rose, just because she found it pretty. She tried it on again that evening when she was getting ready for bed and pranced around her room, her mousey hair done in an elaborate whirl and her best shoes on her feet. Life was fun, she told herself.
From 1979, one of my very favorite BN books to date.
BN car porn:
The hero, like many a BN hero before him, “is a great one for speed” (says a FFR who taught him to drive as a boy), and enjoys his cars, including:
A Rolls Royce (common for BN’s RDDs):
And a not-so-typical Porsche:
November 28, 2014
One of Betty Neels best. Our mousy little heroine, Becky, is just fabulous! And our Rich Dutch Doctor is so haughty(he's a Baron as well) and so flummoxed to find himself falling for the mouse.
Becky has escaped(literally) from the hellish situation at home, where she is being worked to death by wicked stepmother and verbally abused by wicked step-brother. So there she is, walking down the road, in the pouring rain, with her faithful pets (dog, cat, one each) when she is rescued by our RDD.
He takes pity on her and suddenly hires her to be nurse/companion for his mother. The Baroness is temporarily in a wheelchair due to a broken leg and a twisted knee. Becky is thrilled to be hired. And the adventure begins. Cruise from England to Norway, drive from Norway to Holland--lovely. Of course there's a fly in the ointment and that's the beautiful Nina. But not to worry--Nina doesn't stand a chance, though she does give our Becky some bad moments.
Even though Betty Neels used mostly the same tropes in each book, sometimes they worked better than others. This was one of the good ones.
ETA: The more often I re-read this, the more I am charmed--so I've upped the rating from 4 to 5 stars. This one is one of my top 5 Neels books and lives on my comfort read shelf. Happy book sighs!
Becky has escaped(literally) from the hellish situation at home, where she is being worked to death by wicked stepmother and verbally abused by wicked step-brother. So there she is, walking down the road, in the pouring rain, with her faithful pets (dog, cat, one each) when she is rescued by our RDD.
He takes pity on her and suddenly hires her to be nurse/companion for his mother. The Baroness is temporarily in a wheelchair due to a broken leg and a twisted knee. Becky is thrilled to be hired. And the adventure begins. Cruise from England to Norway, drive from Norway to Holland--lovely. Of course there's a fly in the ointment and that's the beautiful Nina. But not to worry--Nina doesn't stand a chance, though she does give our Becky some bad moments.
Even though Betty Neels used mostly the same tropes in each book, sometimes they worked better than others. This was one of the good ones.
ETA: The more often I re-read this, the more I am charmed--so I've upped the rating from 4 to 5 stars. This one is one of my top 5 Neels books and lives on my comfort read shelf. Happy book sighs!
April 27, 2021
Si lo hubiera leído me habría molestado pero como lo escuché no fue tan terrible xd todavía no me convencen los audiolibros pero si reconozco que tienen su utilidad, mientras hacia otras cosas lo escuché y no me distraje aunque si se me escaparon unos cuantos detalles y no me pude aprender los nombres de los personajes xd solo Becky que era la prota aunque ni siquiera sé si se escribe así xd
La historia fue la típica en este género y en estas colecciones (Bianca, Jazmín, etc) parte con la chica escapando de casa porque básicamente era la cenicienta de allí, la madrastra la obligaba a todo y junto a su hijo la amenazaban con matar o hacerle daño a su gatito y su perrito si no hacia caso. Bueno resulta que huyó y en plena escapada conoce a su príncipe azul :'v y este la ayuda, contratandola de enfermera para su madre y de ahí sigue la historia.
Los protas estuvieron llenos de estereotipos que me molestaron pero como solo escuchaba no fue tanto. El romance no me gustó xd fue como muy precipitado y en la escena final, me quedaban como 8 minutos, apareció un personaje del pasado de la nada a intentar separarlos pero de verdad sobraba xd su intervención con suerte llegó a los dos minutos.
En fin, me dan ganas de seguir escuchando pero soy un poco quisquillosa y no quiero escuchar libros que quiero leer así que solo me quedan para elegir libros como este o de autoayuda jajaja lo bueno es que en teoría no estoy perdiendo tiempo ya que hago otras cosas mientras 🤷🏻♀️
La historia fue la típica en este género y en estas colecciones (Bianca, Jazmín, etc) parte con la chica escapando de casa porque básicamente era la cenicienta de allí, la madrastra la obligaba a todo y junto a su hijo la amenazaban con matar o hacerle daño a su gatito y su perrito si no hacia caso. Bueno resulta que huyó y en plena escapada conoce a su príncipe azul :'v y este la ayuda, contratandola de enfermera para su madre y de ahí sigue la historia.
Los protas estuvieron llenos de estereotipos que me molestaron pero como solo escuchaba no fue tanto. El romance no me gustó xd fue como muy precipitado y en la escena final, me quedaban como 8 minutos, apareció un personaje del pasado de la nada a intentar separarlos pero de verdad sobraba xd su intervención con suerte llegó a los dos minutos.
En fin, me dan ganas de seguir escuchando pero soy un poco quisquillosa y no quiero escuchar libros que quiero leer así que solo me quedan para elegir libros como este o de autoayuda jajaja lo bueno es que en teoría no estoy perdiendo tiempo ya que hago otras cosas mientras 🤷🏻♀️
July 7, 2021
4 1/2 Stars ~ On the guise that Becky was needed at home to nurse her ill step-mother, Becky was forced to give up her position at a Leeds hospital. Her step-mother didn't really need a nurse but with her son Basil's help, had completely tied Becky to their rural home as the housekeeper and as she wasn't paid, she was very much their slave. She'd have left in the middle of the night, except that Basil had threatened Becky's beloved dog and cat, and so she saved as best she could from the pennies left over from the grocery shopping so that she could take the pets with her. It was on a cold and rainy day, that Tiele discovered the soaked young girl with a dog on a lead, and a cat in a bag under her arm, walking steadfastly on the rural road. He stopped and offered them a lift, which Becky was most happy to take, and insisted that she lunch with him at a hotel, and even sees the pets had a meal. Tiele offers an ear, encouraging Becky to tell him why she was running away, and so Becky shared her unhappy story, even the meager amount of money she'd managed to save.
And so Becky's new life begins, for Tiele hires her to nurse his mother as she recovers from one broken leg and the other with torn ligaments. She's to accompany the Baroness on a cruise that will end in Norway where her sister lives, and after a month's stay there, to Tiele's home in Holland. Once the Baroness is free of her wheelchair, Tiele, a doctor, promises to find Becky a job in a Dutch hospital and a place to live where her pets will be welcome. And everything falls into place just as promised, except Becky falls in love with Tiele and he only seems to have eyes for the beautiful Nina.
I adore Cinderella stories, and Betty Neels is a master at creating them. From the first pages my heart went out to Becky as she valiantly struggles for her freedom. When Tiele rescues her and gently urges her to share her burden, Becky finds herself poring it all out. And just like a fairy godmother, Tiele works magic and offers her a solution to her troubles. Becky is rather a shy girl and after her past few years of abuse by her step-family, she lacks self-esteem. Tiele is a Dutch Baron and a respected consultant who often comes across as aloof and arrogant. I loved that Becky wasn't intimidated by him and often told him exactly what she was thinking. She's quite charming when she's had a brandy for the first time, and proceeds to tell Tiele that the lovely Nina isn't the woman for him. There's a lovely scene where Becky reminds him that he'd once told his mother that she wasn't his cup of tea, and his response was that, yes she wasn't but she was his glass of champagne. This of course confuses Becky to no end. The HEA is quite lovely, with a final rescue by Tiele from the evil step-brother who gets his well deserved set down.
Edited July 2018: 5 Stars ~ I first read this gem in 2015 and rated it 4 1/2 stars, but upon reading it again, I find I'm even more enchanted with this charming Cinderella story. Tiele and Becky have their own journeys, however, Ms. Neels creates just the right circumstances for those journeys to join together.
And so Becky's new life begins, for Tiele hires her to nurse his mother as she recovers from one broken leg and the other with torn ligaments. She's to accompany the Baroness on a cruise that will end in Norway where her sister lives, and after a month's stay there, to Tiele's home in Holland. Once the Baroness is free of her wheelchair, Tiele, a doctor, promises to find Becky a job in a Dutch hospital and a place to live where her pets will be welcome. And everything falls into place just as promised, except Becky falls in love with Tiele and he only seems to have eyes for the beautiful Nina.
I adore Cinderella stories, and Betty Neels is a master at creating them. From the first pages my heart went out to Becky as she valiantly struggles for her freedom. When Tiele rescues her and gently urges her to share her burden, Becky finds herself poring it all out. And just like a fairy godmother, Tiele works magic and offers her a solution to her troubles. Becky is rather a shy girl and after her past few years of abuse by her step-family, she lacks self-esteem. Tiele is a Dutch Baron and a respected consultant who often comes across as aloof and arrogant. I loved that Becky wasn't intimidated by him and often told him exactly what she was thinking. She's quite charming when she's had a brandy for the first time, and proceeds to tell Tiele that the lovely Nina isn't the woman for him. There's a lovely scene where Becky reminds him that he'd once told his mother that she wasn't his cup of tea, and his response was that, yes she wasn't but she was his glass of champagne. This of course confuses Becky to no end. The HEA is quite lovely, with a final rescue by Tiele from the evil step-brother who gets his well deserved set down.
Edited July 2018: 5 Stars ~ I first read this gem in 2015 and rated it 4 1/2 stars, but upon reading it again, I find I'm even more enchanted with this charming Cinderella story. Tiele and Becky have their own journeys, however, Ms. Neels creates just the right circumstances for those journeys to join together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2013
If you like a "cinderella" story and you are a fan of Betty Neels, then I highly recommend. Young Becky is forced into leaving her position as nurse to go home and take care of her evil stepmother and stepbrother. Of course both are so evil, they force the poor girl into a life of drudgery working for virtually pennies. It takes her years to earn enough money to escape, but she finally does taking her older dog and cat. Our hero - a Doctor, Baron and Dutch (of course, what else) happens upon her running away in a bitter cold rain. He takes pity on her, rescues her and sets her up as his mother's nurse.
This one is light on the romance and I'm not quite sure I totally ever warmed up to the hero, but the heroine was such a delight and the story was fun and fast paced it made up for everything else. It would have been so much better to get a glimpse into the hero's POV, but there were enough hints dropped along the way to realize that he was falling hard for the "skinny little mouse". There was also a deliciously beautiful OW trying to get her "hooks" into the Baron that rounded out the fun.
This one is light on the romance and I'm not quite sure I totally ever warmed up to the hero, but the heroine was such a delight and the story was fun and fast paced it made up for everything else. It would have been so much better to get a glimpse into the hero's POV, but there were enough hints dropped along the way to realize that he was falling hard for the "skinny little mouse". There was also a deliciously beautiful OW trying to get her "hooks" into the Baron that rounded out the fun.
June 26, 2011
A dog, a cat and a mouse of a girl – that is what the hero saw walking in the rain when he kindly stopped and offered them a ride to the nearest shelter.
This is one of my favorite Betty Neels because the description of the mouse just rankles. Also, because there’s this memorable scene when the heroine had too much brandy to drink and she let her mouth run without filter. She warned him from marrying his snooty girlfriend and counseled him to look for someone nicer who wouldn’t take notice of his bad temper. To which the guy hit back snidely, asking her whether this paragon would be a skinny nondescript person like her. (Read between the lines: if she’s offering herself, he’s not buying.)
From this moment on, she withdrew into her protective mousehole to avoid his company while he in turn sought her presence by putting out cheese in the form of accidental meetings and dinner invitations.
Good read. Betty Neels couldn't have built a better parson's mousetrap.
This is one of my favorite Betty Neels because the description of the mouse just rankles. Also, because there’s this memorable scene when the heroine had too much brandy to drink and she let her mouth run without filter. She warned him from marrying his snooty girlfriend and counseled him to look for someone nicer who wouldn’t take notice of his bad temper. To which the guy hit back snidely, asking her whether this paragon would be a skinny nondescript person like her. (Read between the lines: if she’s offering herself, he’s not buying.)
From this moment on, she withdrew into her protective mousehole to avoid his company while he in turn sought her presence by putting out cheese in the form of accidental meetings and dinner invitations.
Good read. Betty Neels couldn't have built a better parson's mousetrap.
July 16, 2015
Betty Neels was born in England in 1909, died in 2001, and beginning in retirement from a nursing career wrote more than 130 books, most of them featuring a rich Dutch doctor and a valiant English girl, usually plain, and often orphaned. Her books are clean (chaste). Stepping into Bettydom feels like stepping back in time, even though her stories are set in contemporary England and Holland.
This book is among my top ten. Or top five! It's a fairy tale. A Cinderella story, with a wicked stepmother and stepbrother (Basil the beast) and a handsome Dutch baron, instead of a prince. Baron Tiele Raukema van den Eck. Cinderella herself is played by Becky, beloved of two furry friends.
At first, he's no prince charming. He's cold and arrogant and sometimes unkind towards Becky, even though he helps her out of a bad situation, waving his magic wand like some Fairy Godfather. He hires her to nurse his mother, recovering from a broken leg or something.
Gradually the baron falls for Becky, but he CAN NOT believe he's falling for such a plain-faced little mouse! "I am not fond of thin mice." Finally he accepts the truth: "Becky may not be his cup of tea, but she's definitely his glass of champagne."
Good action scenes in this one: Becky breaking out of jail (home) and tramping down the road in the pouring rain, beloved pets at her side (Pooch and Bertie). A nice tour of Norway and Holland. There's also some threats from the big bad Basil and a daring rescue in the flooding canal, when her dog Bertie is drowning.
This book is among my top ten. Or top five! It's a fairy tale. A Cinderella story, with a wicked stepmother and stepbrother (Basil the beast) and a handsome Dutch baron, instead of a prince. Baron Tiele Raukema van den Eck. Cinderella herself is played by Becky, beloved of two furry friends.
At first, he's no prince charming. He's cold and arrogant and sometimes unkind towards Becky, even though he helps her out of a bad situation, waving his magic wand like some Fairy Godfather. He hires her to nurse his mother, recovering from a broken leg or something.
Gradually the baron falls for Becky, but he CAN NOT believe he's falling for such a plain-faced little mouse! "I am not fond of thin mice." Finally he accepts the truth: "Becky may not be his cup of tea, but she's definitely his glass of champagne."
Good action scenes in this one: Becky breaking out of jail (home) and tramping down the road in the pouring rain, beloved pets at her side (Pooch and Bertie). A nice tour of Norway and Holland. There's also some threats from the big bad Basil and a daring rescue in the flooding canal, when her dog Bertie is drowning.
May 29, 2025
3 stars
Ah Betty Neels and her medical romances... How nostalgic! Years ago, I read a few of her books in paperback format, inc. this one and they more or less follow the same pattern:
🏥 The Hero is a famed Dutch doctor, usually arrogant, high handed and forbiddingly distant;
🏥 The heroine is an English nurse, very biddable, sweet and sensitive;
🏥 There is an OW around who is beautiful and nasty; and
🏥 The romance between the H and h develops in a langourous, silent manner with loads of misconceptions, and finally, at the end, the H will declare his flame 'violently' out of the left field seemingly.
A revisit of this story proved that it indeed followed the same path. Though, if my memory serves right, Tiele Raukema van den Eck was a gentler version of some of the other Hero doctors of BN. Assholish in his 'kiss-n-go while dangling the OW around' style but still not the worst doctor H.
The story of course felt dated, what with the painfully mild heroine with good manners (and only tiny flares of temper à la cute kitten style), endless descriptions of food, surroundings and other daily life events, and a general unhealthy obsession by all characters with 'beauty' and 'prettiness' (H and h included). The story was published at the end of the 1970s so it's no wonder.
That said, there was also an inherent sweetness of old Harlequins at the heart of the romance, that somehow achieved tiny heart flutterings. A kind of gossamer-ish feeling that felt very candid/ pure and nostalgic. So that despite its faults from a modern perspective, the romance still worked for me in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2010
I wanted a romance that would go down smoothly without wreaking havoc on my emotions and I found it with this book. Betty Neels has a flair for writing these types of romances.
My review: http://bit.ly/c3k0kk
My review: http://bit.ly/c3k0kk
dnf
May 27, 2017Another case of it's me not you!
Betty Neals is just not for me!
Betty Neals is just not for me!
January 28, 2021
Becky & the Hot Hot Baron
I decided to start this year with two books, and with 'the end of everything' finished, this was next. I wanted to re(rerere)read B&tHHB because it's such a comfort and a charmer for me, because it's not on my tgb shelf, because it's been a while since I've read it and it's always nice to return to these "fresh."
Among the first romances I ever read and remains my very favorite--and favorite Betty--and not simply for nostalgic reasons. B&tHHB is to a type for Betty books. She has about three plot themes she returns to again and again, and for me Promise is best type and the best within that type. This one hits in all the right spots and lands so softly but with a simmering urgency underneath. Becky is a wonderful heroine and Tiele becomes the hero she deserves. These two are going to enjoy a loving, lively, and fulfilling HEA.
There's so much I could get into and even then I'll feel I haven't said enough. Betty has such wonderful sly moments and turns of phrase. Her books are throwback, well beyond having been written decades ago, and have a sensibility that's difficult to describe but easily gotten from the page. Sweet without being saccharine, heroines who know their worth but also willing to work towards better days, heroes who are abrupt and remote and yet not at all in their interior. When that sensibility and you fit, it's a delight.
This heroine type of Betty's is my favorite as well. Life hasn't been kind but that doesn't make them mean; they make the best of what they have in the moments they get it; they work hard and make mistakes and are earn the hero's respect and their fairy tale. And often, in the mundane pages while they're doing this and falling in love, there's an underlying wistfulness and melancholy that can hit me quite hard, depending.
If you take your time reading, there's so much revealed between the lines of what tortures Tiele is (and her other heroes are) going through as they fall in love with the heroine. He's gobsmacked over it, and then brooding and almost angry he's falling, and then completely smitten and impossibly impatient that she isn't simply his, immediately, without explanation or need to convince her. Which is of course the point he needs to convince her.
And if there's ever a Cinderella who has earned her prince it's Becky. Loyal and loving to her devoted pets, a capable gal who got stuck for a few years but is determined to find her way out and onward again, and whose considerate, calm kindness with her streak of tart humor will fit into the grand design of Tiele's grand family so well.
This one allows the leads to fall in love and it's believable as, and that, they do. I think the Baron knew even before Becky, it just took him longer to admit it, where she recognized it was hopeless to try and deny it the moment it dawned on her.
When he finally takes hold of her hand, and her in his arms, it's more than that he's helped steer her course to remain in his orbit until she's finally his and their love is assured. It's clear he also has finally found and realized what he wants and needs, and has no plans to ever let her go.
Just a happy, replete sigh all around.
I decided to start this year with two books, and with 'the end of everything' finished, this was next. I wanted to re(rerere)read B&tHHB because it's such a comfort and a charmer for me, because it's not on my tgb shelf, because it's been a while since I've read it and it's always nice to return to these "fresh."
Among the first romances I ever read and remains my very favorite--and favorite Betty--and not simply for nostalgic reasons. B&tHHB is to a type for Betty books. She has about three plot themes she returns to again and again, and for me Promise is best type and the best within that type. This one hits in all the right spots and lands so softly but with a simmering urgency underneath. Becky is a wonderful heroine and Tiele becomes the hero she deserves. These two are going to enjoy a loving, lively, and fulfilling HEA.
There's so much I could get into and even then I'll feel I haven't said enough. Betty has such wonderful sly moments and turns of phrase. Her books are throwback, well beyond having been written decades ago, and have a sensibility that's difficult to describe but easily gotten from the page. Sweet without being saccharine, heroines who know their worth but also willing to work towards better days, heroes who are abrupt and remote and yet not at all in their interior. When that sensibility and you fit, it's a delight.
This heroine type of Betty's is my favorite as well. Life hasn't been kind but that doesn't make them mean; they make the best of what they have in the moments they get it; they work hard and make mistakes and are earn the hero's respect and their fairy tale. And often, in the mundane pages while they're doing this and falling in love, there's an underlying wistfulness and melancholy that can hit me quite hard, depending.
If you take your time reading, there's so much revealed between the lines of what tortures Tiele is (and her other heroes are) going through as they fall in love with the heroine. He's gobsmacked over it, and then brooding and almost angry he's falling, and then completely smitten and impossibly impatient that she isn't simply his, immediately, without explanation or need to convince her. Which is of course the point he needs to convince her.
And if there's ever a Cinderella who has earned her prince it's Becky. Loyal and loving to her devoted pets, a capable gal who got stuck for a few years but is determined to find her way out and onward again, and whose considerate, calm kindness with her streak of tart humor will fit into the grand design of Tiele's grand family so well.
This one allows the leads to fall in love and it's believable as, and that, they do. I think the Baron knew even before Becky, it just took him longer to admit it, where she recognized it was hopeless to try and deny it the moment it dawned on her.
When he finally takes hold of her hand, and her in his arms, it's more than that he's helped steer her course to remain in his orbit until she's finally his and their love is assured. It's clear he also has finally found and realized what he wants and needs, and has no plans to ever let her go.
Just a happy, replete sigh all around.
September 26, 2019
Un libro de Betty muy recomendable, con el típico argumento de una heroína que las pasa todas y, aun así, sigue adelante. Betty siempre para mí significará sentimientos cálidos, pasillos de hospital vacíos y la cafetería del sanatorio Laprida (acá en Rosario, Argentina).
July 12, 2023
This one grew on me more and more! I could see rating it higher on a re-read!
June 25, 2019
Sappy, simple, safe. All things I need when I go for a Betty Neels. Yes, this one starts with as much a Cinderella as one can get...and it is wonderful. The endings are always happy and the story sometimes “so impossible”. But then, so are a great many fiction books out there. I believe that is why a fantastical book is called fiction.
No sex, no foul language, yes, the guy is tall, handsome, rich, and the girl is once again on the supposedly “simple” educated side. Now, my only issue was the very end when she says she is not “witty”. Now, I think that was taking out heroine down a notch too much. I mean she is a trained nurse! I don’t know if the equivalent would be LPN or CNA, but still...there IS a requirement of education and some ability to learn. Therefore that last self-insulting remark was needlessly said.
Ok. Otherwise a very nice story.
No sex, no foul language, yes, the guy is tall, handsome, rich, and the girl is once again on the supposedly “simple” educated side. Now, my only issue was the very end when she says she is not “witty”. Now, I think that was taking out heroine down a notch too much. I mean she is a trained nurse! I don’t know if the equivalent would be LPN or CNA, but still...there IS a requirement of education and some ability to learn. Therefore that last self-insulting remark was needlessly said.
Ok. Otherwise a very nice story.
July 2, 2019
I very much enjoyed this story. Although Tiele was quite arrogant, he was generally kind and understanding. He was cruel a few times, but I think it was more his own confusion about his feelings which made him so. Poor Becky was so used to being treated badly, she didn't really understand kindness, nor did she recognize how Tiele was falling in love with her. I wish we knew more about Nina, and why she’s so mean. It’s so sad that Becky is so use to being treated badly that she really doesn’t recognize happiness when it's right within her reach. Simple, sweet love story. A good read for a cold, rainy day.
February 14, 2023
What the heck was that? This was a little mess. We get things going on that need time to be expanded on but just skipped. Not sure if the couple like each other because the hero says means stuff that the heroine overhears but we just skip past that. Just a lot of skipping in this book when we need concrete scenes that don't involve the mother/pets(who are always referred to together, every time). Just a little knot of a good concept wasted on bad execution. Skip it..like this book did to everything you wanted to read about.
December 6, 2017
Promesa de felicidad va directo a la lista de mis favoritas de Betty Neels 😍Nuevamente no me alcanzan las estrellas para calificarla.con esta novelita siento que ella como autora pudo avanzar y darnos un poco más de los personajes.
Read
July 27, 2011Absolutely delightful. Becky and Tiele are a well thoughout couple, Very believable and lovable. A very good story.
November 19, 2011
I was surprised by this book. It was a quick read, only 129 pages or so. It was fast paced. A sweet clean romance. Good characters.
April 22, 2016
Pam was right. The Hot, Hot Baron indeed. Great story, wonderful characters both main and supporting. A busy plot but well paced. If you like TGB this one is a keeper,
August 27, 2016
One of her best.
Mrs. Neels stories about plain women finding love are my favorites. No one writes like she did. Her stories leave you feeling like all is right with the world.
Mrs. Neels stories about plain women finding love are my favorites. No one writes like she did. Her stories leave you feeling like all is right with the world.
August 17, 2018
The Promise of Happiness...or Becky and the Baron, the Hot, Hot Baron.
Read
August 20, 2024None of it seemed quite real, and she said so to the Baroness while she made her comfortable and started the unpacking; there was a formidable amount of it; the Baroness liked clothes, she told Becky blandly, and she had a great many. Becky, lovingly folding silk undies which must have cost a fortune and hanging dresses with couture labels, hadn’t enjoyed herself so much for years.
Ao vôlei, doencinha, The Boyfriend (como distribuir os papéis Neels?), na falta de dormir e no século XXIV ao lado do buraco de minhoca (e depois disso não toquei mais no DS9, ficará sempre ali no dia Olimpíadas-malzinha-realityzinho-Bettyzinha-Trek?).
Minha dúzia Betty completa, com ovos panqueca depois de Bach, Handel e Cabezón (Now if it had been Sibelius or Shostakovich or Brahms she would have loved every moment of it. She sighed soundlessly; she had no culture, e nem o consolo imaginado de at least she could study the lady singers’ dresses, vestidos quando aparecem são reprovados). Nesse concerto o Dr. Barão não para de olhar pra Becky, acompanhada do (comprometido) médico recém-formado Bachiano.
Do que Becky não tem de devoção pelo barroco tem por gato Pooch (!) e cachorro Bertie. Essa abertura em fuga é a Betty alucinada. A madrastra e filho maus, maus, e Becky contando disso tudo pro desconhecido, ele: people don’t force anyone in these days. E ela: oh, yes, they do. Também conta pra mãe do já não tão desconhecido, e esse relato de trabalho interminável, clausura e ameaça de afogamento termina assim: I must have bored you; I hate people who are sorry for themselves. !!!!!
Ligações de cruzeiro e da Noruega (‘You will probably meet someone of your own age,’ persisted the Baron, ‘and wish to spend a day with them—there are some interesting trips you can make…’). Quando estão no mesmo lugar (leitores de Betty sabem que ocasião não tão comum!) ela dorme atrás das framboesas, esconderijo dele criança, ele senta junto. E quando vai embora ela abraça o gato e os cachorros (1 dele). É o bom momento BN de quando lembra do que vai ser perdido e você (1, 12 ou 134 Bettys lidos) como sente!
Quando o doutor vem com os darlings e os dears é, como sempre, chocolate derretido, não o forte. Mas essas últimas páginas, depois de reaparição do filho mau da madrasta má, também têm um carinho fácil:
‘There’s an Olde-Worlde Tea Shoppe in the next street—it’s rather out of its environment and it’s run by a dragon with a light hand at pastry.’
Becky, who had been wanting to cry, giggled instead. ‘I don’t suppose you know the first thing about pastry.’
e
‘Tea is not tea without bread and butter,’ observed the dragon severely. ‘I am glad that there are some people who know what is right and proper.’ She sent a chilling glance at the two girls sitting close by, with a dish of eclairs between them and no bread and butter in sight. When she had gone Tiele remarked: ‘I’ll wager my table silver that she’s been someone’s nanny.’
Becky was feeling better. ‘The bread and butter bit? Yes, I think you’re right. Tiele, do you think he’ll come back for me?—Basil?’
🖤
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Aquisição favorita: a wide skirt in palest grey patterned with delicate pink roses and a pale pink crépe blouse to wear with it.
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As típicas explicações das heroínas Betty: His kiss hadn’t meant a thing and it certainly couldn’t have been because she had looked attractive, more the sort of comforting kiss one would give an old lady who had lost her purse… (???)
November 11, 2021
I am not a huge fan of Cinderella stories, even by Neels. However, I did like this h very much. I thought the H was such a flamin' jackass and said some really cruel things RIGHT TO HER FACE regarding her looks, her conversation... I'll be honest, if that were me, I just wouldn't be able to get past that no matter what he said or did afterwards.
Nevertheless, he does turn it around and spew some pretty words at her towards the end that was very sweet. The story also gets a bonus star for this bit of dialogue:
"I wish you wouldn't keep throwing Baron at me in that inflexible fashion: I was Tiele first, you know. Besides, you told me that you liked me..."
She marched on, not looking at him, her cheeks glowing. "I like you, too, Becky." His voice was beguiling.
She said stonily: "Yes, I know. I heard you telling your mother that in Trondheim - you liked me, but I wasn't your cup of tea."
"And I was quite right - but I do believe that you're my glass of champagne, Becky."
So ok, that got me a bit I confess.
Nevertheless, he does turn it around and spew some pretty words at her towards the end that was very sweet. The story also gets a bonus star for this bit of dialogue:
"I wish you wouldn't keep throwing Baron at me in that inflexible fashion: I was Tiele first, you know. Besides, you told me that you liked me..."
She marched on, not looking at him, her cheeks glowing. "I like you, too, Becky." His voice was beguiling.
She said stonily: "Yes, I know. I heard you telling your mother that in Trondheim - you liked me, but I wasn't your cup of tea."
"And I was quite right - but I do believe that you're my glass of champagne, Becky."
So ok, that got me a bit I confess.
September 13, 2025
While this one had Betty's interchangeable hero (Dutch doctor, older, handsome, giant, overbearing, #metoo random kisses, hotty girlfriend, no-proposal proposal), it also had some fun new things, like a cruise to Trondheim in Norway and some sightseeing there. (Betty must have gone on the cruise and visited the City of Roses because she made me Google and want to go too.) And I was relieved that the usual heroine with mousy hair, plain features, and beautiful eyes was NOT described as having a "lovely figure," as per usual. Instead she was too thin! When you read a lot of Betty, you live for these little variations.
Anyhow, I do still wonder about doctors randomly kissing nurses and the nurses just taking it without question, but whatever.
Anyhow, I do still wonder about doctors randomly kissing nurses and the nurses just taking it without question, but whatever.
November 5, 2021
“The Baron, watching her, was of the opinion that although she hadn't a great deal to be happy about, she was probably the happiest person he had come across for a long time.”
“There are so many kinds of beauty - have you ever looked in a small hidden pool in a wood, Becky? It's full of beauty, but it's not in the least spectacular, only restful and quiet and never-endingly fascinating.”
“Good night, my pretty little mouse.”
“She wasn't quite sure why she didn't want to meet him, for she loved him so much that she felt that she could never see enough of him, anyway.”
“`You are my darling. Becky, it took me a little while to discover it-and to admit it-but now I find that I cannot live without you, nor do I wish to.”
“There are so many kinds of beauty - have you ever looked in a small hidden pool in a wood, Becky? It's full of beauty, but it's not in the least spectacular, only restful and quiet and never-endingly fascinating.”
“Good night, my pretty little mouse.”
“She wasn't quite sure why she didn't want to meet him, for she loved him so much that she felt that she could never see enough of him, anyway.”
“`You are my darling. Becky, it took me a little while to discover it-and to admit it-but now I find that I cannot live without you, nor do I wish to.”
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