Betty Neels sent her heroines and their RDD/RBD (rich Dutch or British doctors) all over Europe; to the Netherlands, naturally, Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands, Norway, passing through France, Bosnia, Scotland, Austria, Switzerland. Of course the RDD/RBD also go to Belgium and even America, but without their sweeties. Never Say Goodbye is the only one with a trip to Poland via Stockholm. It is set in 1983 when Poland was pushing for independence from the USSR, the year Lech Walesa won the Nobel Peace Prize, so it has a bit more tension and risk than most Betty trips.

Dr. Thomas Winter has finally secured permission to bring his old nanny, a dissident’s widow, back to England. He needs a nurse – now – to come along because Nanny is nearly crippled with arthritis. In walks Isobel Barrington, private nurse. Thomas doesn’t think Isobel is suitable but she’s the only one available so he makes do.

Things are tense in Poland and Thomas distracts Nanny and Isobel with an organ concert and last sightseeing. Everyone breathes easier once on the boat headed back to Stockholm. Isobel stays with Nanny for a week or so, then heads off to new private clients. Thomas rounds her back to nurse Nanny after pneumonia, even taking them (and Isobel’s family) to his seaside cottage.

This is a Betty Neels book meaning it we don’t get a lot of insight into the RBD. Thomas clearly likes Isobel by the time they return to Stockholm, but it’s not clear when he falls in love with her. Isobel is the primary character and we see her feelings for Thomas and her distress and fear when her mom has a stroke. The family is just barely making it with her generous private pay; if she cannot work they will have serious problems. Thomas insists on bringing her mother to his private rehab place, and further insists on taking Isobel’s cat and dog to his home.

Ella Stokes, an expensive blonde vision whom Thomas only slightly likes, is the other woman. Ella spikes her own guns by following Dr. Winter on holiday and “clinging like a limpet”. I think having Ella around helped Thomas find emotional clarity and realize he loves Isobel.

Never Say Goodbye is one of Betty Neels’ most enjoyable books; I think the Polish situation adds piquancy and the love affair is low key, builds slowly and feels real. Some of Neels’ RDD/RBBs are over-the-top but Dr. Thomas Winter is definitely rich yet all too human. He’s lonely without realizing how lonely he is and he wants, he wants, but he isn’t sure what he wants. Eventually he realizes it is Isobel, a family and love. Proposal and kisses ensue.

Pineapple Girl is a Type 2 Betty Neels romance, a courtship/love story complicated by The Other Woman. There are some really neat moments, especially towards the end when heroine Eloise Bennett saves a young boy, but overall it is one of Betty’s less memorable novels.

Eloise’s mom’s old friend Deborah Pringle lives in (guess) Holland and is dying. She asks Eloise to come to their home to give her care and company during her final illness. Naturally Timon van Zeilst is Mevrouw Pringle’s physician and he is just as interested in Eloise as she is in him.

A patient gives nurse Eloise a pineapple, which she promptly drops on consultant Timon van Zeilst, visiting from (of course) Holland. Eloise thinks Timon looks like someone she’d like to know, but he is in Holland and she is in England, it isn’t likely so she tries to put him out of her mind.

The complication is Liske, a young, very beautiful, very expensive socialite and Timon’s girlfriend. Liske isn’t giving up Timon without a fight! She dates Timon several times while Eloise is around, she drops into Timon’s home and acts as though marriage is a foregone conclusion.

Timon is quite silly. He dates Liske long after he knows that he doesn’t want to marry her. He isn’t completely sure he wants Eloise so he dates her too, albeit usually with Mr. Pringle and other friends or family. He finally calls it quits with Liske; as near as I can tell it’s about 5 dates past the point where he should have done the just-friends/had-fun-but-not-serious routine.

Timon feels terrible when he finally dumps Liske, says he was cruel to her, so Liske runs over to his house when Eloise is there and dumps all over Eloise, maneuvering to make it look like Eloise was extraordinarily nasty. Timon, being a RDD and thus not tuned into how low a girl like Liske would go to ensnare his plump pocket, rips into Eloise for being cruel. Eloise runs into the driving rainstorm where Timon finds her, again berates her for being mean, then she packs up and leaves for England as soon as possible.

Eventually Timon rescues Eloise when she is busy rescuing a small boy and takes her off to be married in the church down the street. This is the part that lost me. Last we saw Timon he was beating up himself and Eloise for “being cruel to poor Liske”, and next time we see him he’s got a special license and a date with the parson and a room at the closest inn.

I understand he wants to marry Eloise and she wants to marry him, but really, wouldn’t you expect just a bit more something between accusations of cruelty and marrying out of hand? Also, what gives with Eloise? She wants to marry Timon and it’s romantic as heck to sweep down and dash off to the nearest church, but I bet she’d later regret not having her Mom or anyone else around.

Not sure why I didn’t like Pineapple Girl more. The plot is decent, we see a bit of Holland, Eloise and Liske have pretty clothes and Timon is pretty classy. But it just doesn’t hang together. Harlequin republished Pineapple Girl in a collector’s edition with a red cover and new picture, so it’s obviously popular. I think the characters don’t seem like real people to me. Betty Neels was known for her warmth and believable characters and this book just doesn’t quite get there. It feels rushed.

3 Stars

Betty Neels had only a few plots – the Marriage of Convenience, the Other Woman, and Normal Courtship with Complications. Three for a Wedding fits the second, a straight-forward romance complicated by a gullible heroine, clueless hero and conniving Other Woman.

Sybil Brooks persuades her older sister, Phoebe, to take her place in an exchange scheme, where Phoebe works under a Dutch doctor to learn his cystic fibrosis techniques. Sybil is obnoxious, so it’s a good thing Betty wrote her a minor part, leaving Phoebe and her RDD (rich Dutch doctor) Lucius van Someren, to star.

Maureen, the governess for Peter, Lucius’ 10-year old adopted son, is The Other Woman, determined to marry Lucius and thoroughly nasty. Phoebe is just gullible enough to believe some of Maureen’s lies and tells herself she cannot say anything to Lucius because he might love Maureen.

Most of Betty Neels’ Other Women are unpleasant, greedy and selfish, but their main fault is wanting to marry the hero for his money and social position, not for love. Maureen is something different, truly an evil person. It’s incomprehensible that Phoebe would not say anything and believe that Lucius would rather not know some about some Maureen shenanigans.

I have a very hard time believing some of what Phoebe will keep quiet about. Even if Lucius in fact did love Maureen, he ought to know that:

• Maureen tries to beat Paul’s new puppy to death.
• Maureen threatens Paul, holding his puppy over his head, emotionally manipulates him

Lucius is oblivious to Maureen’s mean ways and ambitions. He’s supposed to be absent-minded but he’s a bit too clueless to be real, especially since he was astute enough to immediately realize Phoebe is not Sybil.

Phoebe and Lucius are both silly, but of course, that’s necessary for our plot to advance! Putting aside Maureen’s plots and evil lies we have a straightforward courtship. Lucius takes Phoebe out several times, kisses her like he means it, shows her his home, introduces her to his adopted son and family retainers. He makes the fatal Neels-land error, though, and tells Phoebe he intends to get married, but without telling her whom he intends for a wife. (Only Betty could get away with this. I don’t know anyone quite this dumb.)

Three for a Wedding is easy to read, with a well-done evil temptress, decent support characters in Phoebe’s fellow nurse and her fiance, and some heartfelt moments with the ill children. The obtuse Lucius and Phoebe are a bit over the top but still fun to read.

4 Stars

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The Right Kind of Girl

The Right Kind of Girl is a classic Betty Neels English romance, relying on a marriage of convenience, a dastardly Other Woman, well-written minor characters, a kind and upstanding hero/love interest, and a sweet-tempered, kind, generous, uncomplaining heroine, Emma. I read this about a year ago and wrote a short review then, this review is longer and I’ll spend more time on why this is both a very good and a frustrating read.

Emma lives with her mom in a small English country town and works as a companion for Mrs. Smith-Darcy, a thoroughly nasty woman. Emma and her mom rely on mom’s small pension and Emma’s small wages; life is difficult but Emma has the gift of happiness. She isn’t exactly content with her unpleasant job but she loves her mom and loves living in the English moor town.

When her employer feels ill after overeating, Dr. Paul Wyatt, subbing for the local GP, makes a house call and meets Emma as she grovels on the carpet picking up the bills Mrs. S-D tossed around.  Paul (aka Dr. Wyatt, our hero) is intrigued by Emma’s calm, matter-of-fact approach to her employer. (Paul claims later that he fell in love with her then.)

Emma’s mother collapses from a perforated ulcer while she and Emma are out driving narrow back roads on the moor; luckily Paul is driving by and takes mom to the hospital, operates and saves her life. He gives Emma rides back and forth for a week while mom recovers. Nasty Mrs. S-D fires Emma, but that’s OK, Emma finds work with Doreen Hervey caring for her newborn, her home, cooking and Doreen herself. Doreen is cheerful and pleasant but completely incapable of looking after herself, not to mention her baby. Paul is good friends with the Herveys and stops by to say hello; of course he knows Emma will be there.

Paul brings Emma fish ‘n chips one night, drives her to and from the hospital, spends a few moments having tea or talking with her. But remember, they have probably spent no more than 12 hours together, not a lot of time. Emma has demonstrated her kindness, charitable nature, generosity of spirit, even temper, warmth and empathy. Paul has shown himself to be somewhat remote, not at all chatty, kind in an impersonal way in the car, then personal, friendly and kind when he brings Emma fish ‘n chips and washes the dishes.

Emma’s mom dies, leaving Emma alone. Paul comes to the rescue, proposing a marriage of convenience. As in all Neels’ marriages of convenience (MOCs), the two agree to be friends, companions, not lovers. Emma has no idea Paul loves her and she is numb after her mom’s death.   Paul and Emma marry after a couple minor contretemps, leaving Emma to realize she loves Paul only when walking up the aisle.

Sadly Emma runs afoul of Diana, a lovely woman who runs a nursery for abandoned kids where Emma volunteers. Diana claims to have Paul’s love and Emma has no hold on him. It isn’t clear whether Diana wants to marry Paul or just likes to make trouble. 

Emma figures Diana is exaggerating – after all Paul chose Emma, not Diana – but she’s modest and not confident that Paul has much feeling for her. Diana purposely endangers Emma by sending her to a tinker camp in the moor during a storm, then lies to Paul, claiming Emma wanted to be a glory hound. Of course Paul should have known better; the last thing Emma wants is the spotlight. But he’s known Diana for a couple of years and respects her.

The worst happens when Paul confronts Emma about the tinker camp: “Diana is worth a dozen of you.” Yes. He actually says this. Bloggers on The Uncrushable Jersey Dress call this the equivalent of the unforgivable curse in Harry Potter, and they are right.

How is Emma now supposed to believe that Paul cares about her? Diana tells Emma constantly that Paul doesn’t and never will love her, and now Paul has corroborated that. “Diana is worth a dozen of you.” Emma still is reluctant to believe Paul would have married her while in love with Diana, but then Paul says he’s going on a 4-month lecture tour. Alone. Now Emma has reason to believe that Paul wants her gone, that regardless how he feels about Diana, he certainly doesn’t love or want Emma.

Unforgivable or not, the “worth a dozen of you” isnt’ the worst part of the story. The part that astounds me is that Paul has the colossal nerve to tell Emma that “she doesn’t trust him”! Hello! Earth to Paul! Wake up, buddy. You just told your wife a few days before that she’s not worth the stuff on the bottom of your shoe, and now you are upset that she believes nasty Diana? I have a real problem with this part, especially since Emma thinks she needs to apologize! What about Paul needing to wake up and realize you don’t tell your wife that she’s worthless, and then expect her to trust that you aren’t having an affair?

Here’s where Betty Neels’ genius with minor characters plays its part. Maisie, an older woman, works in the nursery and sees right through Diana. Maisie warns Emma, and reassures her that Diana is sneaky and nasty. Finally Maisie positions herself to eavesdrop when Paul (finally!) confronts Diana, and steps in to explain to Paul exactly how deceitful Diana has been. Paul goes home to find Emma is planning something.

The rest of the novel is a delight. Paul and Emma realize each loves the other and Paul foils Emma’s attempt to slide out of his life and slip anonymously into the workforce. Plenty of kissing and I love yous ensue.

Let’s see what makes The Right Kind of Girl such a good example of Betty Neels, and why I enjoy it so much.

+++ The first third of the novel is Emma’s straightforward story. Poor, yes, spineless, no. Kind, generous, hard working, yes. We like Emma.

++ We don’t get to know Paul very well in the first part. Obviously he’s interested in Emma and yes, he too is kind and generous. We get hints that he’s falling in love.

+++ The middle part, after Emma’s mom dies and before she starts volunteering at the nursery (about a 5 week period) is charming. Emma isn’t too sure about this marriage idea, isn’t too sure Paul will be satisfied with someone like her, worries whether his family and friends will like her. Emma is reluctant to marry a rich man and a little fearful she might not be satisfactory in her social role, but that’s relatively minor worry.

++ Emma has enough common sense that she takes Diana with a big shaker of salt, but just enough modesty and self-awareness to also realize that there could be just a drop of truth in there.

——- (If I put in all the minus signs it needs I wouldn’t have room to write words.) Diana is a piece of work. Paul is mostly taken in by her, and he’s foolish enough to believe her idiotic accusation that Emma wanted to star in the Rescue of the Tinkers. That’s bad. The Unforgivable Curse (Diana is worth a dozen of you) is really bad. Paul at this point is clueless and digging his own hole with a pile driver.

+++ Neels wrote several great characters. Maisie is a delight. She’s shrewd, full of common sense, and not averse to plain speaking. Doreen Hervey, incompetent mom and homemaker, is a great character. She’s written as loving and lovable, just not too bright and not at all capable. Mrs S-D, she of the nasty temper is a stock character, the stuck up rich lady. Mr. Dobbs, who owns the garage that rents cars to Emma, appears mostly as a voice on the phone, someone willing to feed Emma’s cat. Emma’s mom has a small role, enough to show us how close she and Emma are and allow Emma to display her kindness and fortitude.

I hope you can see why The Right Kind of Girl is well worth reading. It’s classic Neels, completely clean, and warm and cozy. Reading it is like sitting by the fire, all wrapped up in a warm afghan with a cat on your lap. On the other hand, Paul’s two or three jarring comments and Diana’s non-stop undermining make it a bit difficult to enjoy completely. I’m sure Emma has forgiven Paul for his ghastly remark, but we readers have a harder time forgetting it.