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Mistletoe Magic
Mistletoe Magic by Betty Neels\Margaret Way\Rebecca Winters released on Oct 25, 2000 is available now for purchase.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 3, 1999
76 people want to read
About the author
Betty Neels
564 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 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 30, 2021
Mistletoe Magic, a collection of three novellas, includes "A Christmas Romance," a sweet and warm 100+ page tale from Betty, marketed as a Christmas story (but so many of her stories include Christmas scenes that it's not really unusual). I didn't read the other two stories (Margaret Way and Rebecca Winters)--yet, anyway.
It's a later BN story (1999), published when she was 90! These latter-day BN offerings seem characterized by a certain briskness in style-- I always wonder whether that stems from what I think of as a "BN shorthand" approach (she'd written so many at this point!) or if it was the result of HQN editors, at that point not sure what to do with this charming, old fashioned writer, so different from their other late-90s writers, who still managed to outsell everyone! I mean, Betty is STILL in print! Because she has a magic that seems timeless, however anachronistic, paternalistic, etc.
Neels' novella seems to be quite the favorite of other reviewers, and I can definitely understand why--it's got Betty's trademarked warmth and sweetness and old-fashioned appeal, a slow burn (kisses only, and few of those) with an instantly besotted hero who slowly and surely woos the poor but plucky heroine, who may be lonely but is an expert prospector of silver linings. I prefer earlier, angstier BN books, with more conflict and stronger, sparkier personalities, but there's something to be said for her sweeter, later Cinderella tales too. As with most of them, the heroine avoids being pitiable because she is so determined to make her own way and be happy with what she has, however meager, but her circumstances are designed to inspire empathy and liking. And it works.
Without any real conflict (other than a very short-lived OW misunderstanding), it should be dull, but Betty's attention to small details and secondary characters (including the four-footed kind) always charm and entertain. Me--I like her ogres and iceholes, I love her understated (and all the more effective) angst, reliant though it may be on Big Misunderstandings and overly enigmatic heroes, but there is still a lot to be appreciated in her later, calmer, less overtly emotional stories because of the warmth and real romance they offer. For fans of old-fashioned, truly romantic fantasies, particular at Christmas, Betty's hard to beat.
It's a later BN story (1999), published when she was 90! These latter-day BN offerings seem characterized by a certain briskness in style-- I always wonder whether that stems from what I think of as a "BN shorthand" approach (she'd written so many at this point!) or if it was the result of HQN editors, at that point not sure what to do with this charming, old fashioned writer, so different from their other late-90s writers, who still managed to outsell everyone! I mean, Betty is STILL in print! Because she has a magic that seems timeless, however anachronistic, paternalistic, etc.
Neels' novella seems to be quite the favorite of other reviewers, and I can definitely understand why--it's got Betty's trademarked warmth and sweetness and old-fashioned appeal, a slow burn (kisses only, and few of those) with an instantly besotted hero who slowly and surely woos the poor but plucky heroine, who may be lonely but is an expert prospector of silver linings. I prefer earlier, angstier BN books, with more conflict and stronger, sparkier personalities, but there's something to be said for her sweeter, later Cinderella tales too. As with most of them, the heroine avoids being pitiable because she is so determined to make her own way and be happy with what she has, however meager, but her circumstances are designed to inspire empathy and liking. And it works.
Without any real conflict (other than a very short-lived OW misunderstanding), it should be dull, but Betty's attention to small details and secondary characters (including the four-footed kind) always charm and entertain. Me--I like her ogres and iceholes, I love her understated (and all the more effective) angst, reliant though it may be on Big Misunderstandings and overly enigmatic heroes, but there is still a lot to be appreciated in her later, calmer, less overtly emotional stories because of the warmth and real romance they offer. For fans of old-fashioned, truly romantic fantasies, particular at Christmas, Betty's hard to beat.
December 18, 2017
NOTE: I only read A Christmas Romance by Betty Neels, which is probably my favorite Christmas novel by TGB. After I chose this edition, I realized I had already reviewed it last Christmas under a different edition. Oops - I've copied it below, with minor editing.
Theodosia Campbell is a hospital clerk with no family except for her ginger cat, Gustavus, and two elderly great-aunts. One day while running errands for her grouchy boss, she meets Professor Hugo Bentinck. She immediately likes him; for his part, he is equally attracted to her, especially her pert manner and her bright ginger hair.
He makes a point of seeing her "accidentally" as often as he can, giving her lifts to Finchingfield to the great-aunts and rides to the hospital in inclement weather and dancing with her at the hospital ball.
He invites her and Gustavus for outings and to go to the dogs' home to pick up George, a lab who belonged to a friend who went to Australia and had to leave him behind. There is a small mutt who has become attached to George; when Hugo sees the look on Theodosia's face, he knows he will adopt the little dog, too, just to make her happy. By now, Hugo knows he only wants to make her happy for the rest of their lives.
Christmas is fast approaching and Theodosia expects to go to Finchingfield for the holiday. When she gets a last-minute letter from the aunts retracting their invitation (in favor of some old friends), Theodosia tries to make the best of it for herself and Gustavus - those scenes are SOOOO poignant. Hugo, whose sister and her family is spending the holiday with him, is determined to include Theodosia. Assuming she is at Finchingfield, he drives there and then learns what has happened; he returns to London to Theodosia's flat. He tells her he loves her and takes her home with him.
This is a very charming, sweet story. I loved it. We see a lot of Hugo's POV and he realizes fairly quickly that he loves Theodosia. BTW, TGB often used rather obscure, old-fashioned names for her heroines (Bertha - ugh), but I really like the name Theodosia. I may have to use it for a future pet.
Hugo and Theodosia spend quite a lot of time together, which doesn't always happen in TGB's books - that was really nice. I just adored Hugo's indignation with the aunts when they tell him how they disinivited her for Christmas. Also, the bit where Hugo chides Theodosia for telling him to "come in" without knowing who he is; he tells her sternly to always ask who is there: "I might have been some thug in a Balaclava helmet." LOL! TGB certainly had a way with words!
My favorite quotes:
P.20. "Her ginger head caught fire from a stray shaft of winter sunshine and the professor admired it silently. She was like a spring morning in the middle of winter, he reflected, and frowned at the nonsensical thought."
P.72. The professor discovers Theodosia going to Fortnum & Mason to pick up an order for her great-aunts. "'...in the meantime we can have something to eat.' It was a delicious meal and all the more delicious because it was unexpected." (My professor and I ate a delicious meal at F&M, too. I had salad and smoked salmon and asparagus with a rosé wine and I can't remember the dessert (probably because of the rosé - ha!); Prof S had fish & chips.)
P.112. "...Theodosia said, 'That little dog, he looks so sad...' The attendant laughed. 'He's been George's shadow ever since he came...Let's hope someone wants him. I doubt it – he came in off a rubbish dump.'
The professor was looking at Theodosia; he knew with resigned amusement that he was about to become the owner of the little dog. She wasn't going to ask, but the expression on her face was eloquent." Swoon!!!
P.176. "As they reached his house, the first stroke of midnight sounded from the church close by, followed by other church bells ringing in Christmas Day. The professor ushered his small party out of the car and into his house. The hall was quiet and dimly lit and George and Max padded silently to the foot of the stairs where they sat like statues. He closed the door behind him, set Gustavus in his basket on the table and swept Theodosia into his arms. "This is what I have wanted to do – to wish you a happy Christmas in my own home – your home, too, my dearest." Theodosia, after being kissed in a most satisfactory manner, found her breath. "It's true, it's all true? Dearest Hugo, Happy Christmas."
Theodosia Campbell is a hospital clerk with no family except for her ginger cat, Gustavus, and two elderly great-aunts. One day while running errands for her grouchy boss, she meets Professor Hugo Bentinck. She immediately likes him; for his part, he is equally attracted to her, especially her pert manner and her bright ginger hair.
He makes a point of seeing her "accidentally" as often as he can, giving her lifts to Finchingfield to the great-aunts and rides to the hospital in inclement weather and dancing with her at the hospital ball.
He invites her and Gustavus for outings and to go to the dogs' home to pick up George, a lab who belonged to a friend who went to Australia and had to leave him behind. There is a small mutt who has become attached to George; when Hugo sees the look on Theodosia's face, he knows he will adopt the little dog, too, just to make her happy. By now, Hugo knows he only wants to make her happy for the rest of their lives.
Christmas is fast approaching and Theodosia expects to go to Finchingfield for the holiday. When she gets a last-minute letter from the aunts retracting their invitation (in favor of some old friends), Theodosia tries to make the best of it for herself and Gustavus - those scenes are SOOOO poignant. Hugo, whose sister and her family is spending the holiday with him, is determined to include Theodosia. Assuming she is at Finchingfield, he drives there and then learns what has happened; he returns to London to Theodosia's flat. He tells her he loves her and takes her home with him.
This is a very charming, sweet story. I loved it. We see a lot of Hugo's POV and he realizes fairly quickly that he loves Theodosia. BTW, TGB often used rather obscure, old-fashioned names for her heroines (Bertha - ugh), but I really like the name Theodosia. I may have to use it for a future pet.
Hugo and Theodosia spend quite a lot of time together, which doesn't always happen in TGB's books - that was really nice. I just adored Hugo's indignation with the aunts when they tell him how they disinivited her for Christmas. Also, the bit where Hugo chides Theodosia for telling him to "come in" without knowing who he is; he tells her sternly to always ask who is there: "I might have been some thug in a Balaclava helmet." LOL! TGB certainly had a way with words!
My favorite quotes:
P.20. "Her ginger head caught fire from a stray shaft of winter sunshine and the professor admired it silently. She was like a spring morning in the middle of winter, he reflected, and frowned at the nonsensical thought."
P.72. The professor discovers Theodosia going to Fortnum & Mason to pick up an order for her great-aunts. "'...in the meantime we can have something to eat.' It was a delicious meal and all the more delicious because it was unexpected." (My professor and I ate a delicious meal at F&M, too. I had salad and smoked salmon and asparagus with a rosé wine and I can't remember the dessert (probably because of the rosé - ha!); Prof S had fish & chips.)
P.112. "...Theodosia said, 'That little dog, he looks so sad...' The attendant laughed. 'He's been George's shadow ever since he came...Let's hope someone wants him. I doubt it – he came in off a rubbish dump.'
The professor was looking at Theodosia; he knew with resigned amusement that he was about to become the owner of the little dog. She wasn't going to ask, but the expression on her face was eloquent." Swoon!!!
P.176. "As they reached his house, the first stroke of midnight sounded from the church close by, followed by other church bells ringing in Christmas Day. The professor ushered his small party out of the car and into his house. The hall was quiet and dimly lit and George and Max padded silently to the foot of the stairs where they sat like statues. He closed the door behind him, set Gustavus in his basket on the table and swept Theodosia into his arms. "This is what I have wanted to do – to wish you a happy Christmas in my own home – your home, too, my dearest." Theodosia, after being kissed in a most satisfactory manner, found her breath. "It's true, it's all true? Dearest Hugo, Happy Christmas."
January 5, 2019
I’m quite happy I encountered this on Open Library, such a find.
First story - Betty Neels
This is a totally wonderful romance. Both main characters are lovely people and their romance is sweet and charming. The heroine works in the hospital and the Hero is a doctor there. He encounters her one day and is intrigued by her and her vivid ginger hair. From then on, he finds himself driving her to visit her great aunts in the country, dancing with her in the hospital ball and helping her out in any way he can. We can see the Hero’s thoughts so we know he feels attracted to and protective of the heroine. He likes her optimistic disposition despite her poor circumstances. I particularly liked how he would constantly do things to make her happy, like taking on an extra little dog to please her. They have a sweet and sigh-worthy happy ending. Sigh...
Story 2 - Margaret Way
Is a reconciliation story between a husband and wife. The wife had left the husband when he confessed to having a one-night stand with an OW. Their marriage had been getting rocky, and he says he was drunk. Though he keeps asking for forgiveness, The wife holds firm since she is convinced that he had been having an affair with this other woman, and it was not simply a one night stand. Their young daughter is also having problems with the separation and has stopped speaking. The husband manages to convince the wife to come home for Christmas for the sake of the daughter. Its very apparently that the Hero loves the heroine a lot, so one wonders how he could have cheated on her. A lot of misunderstandings have to be cleared up before they can have their HEA.
Story 3 - Rebecca winters
A heartwarming tale of a lost little girl and the kind hearted heroine who found her. The Hero is the deputy Marshall looking for a couple of criminals who have kidnapped a little girl and been on the run. Brooke finds a crying and frozen Sarah who has run away from the evil man. She takes her home to give her food and shelter and immediately falls in love with Sarah. Our hero Vance comes to try and get some details out of Sarah and to see if she is indeed the kidnap victim. This is a lovely tale of how the three of them find love and become a family.
First story - Betty Neels
This is a totally wonderful romance. Both main characters are lovely people and their romance is sweet and charming. The heroine works in the hospital and the Hero is a doctor there. He encounters her one day and is intrigued by her and her vivid ginger hair. From then on, he finds himself driving her to visit her great aunts in the country, dancing with her in the hospital ball and helping her out in any way he can. We can see the Hero’s thoughts so we know he feels attracted to and protective of the heroine. He likes her optimistic disposition despite her poor circumstances. I particularly liked how he would constantly do things to make her happy, like taking on an extra little dog to please her. They have a sweet and sigh-worthy happy ending. Sigh...
Story 2 - Margaret Way
Is a reconciliation story between a husband and wife. The wife had left the husband when he confessed to having a one-night stand with an OW. Their marriage had been getting rocky, and he says he was drunk. Though he keeps asking for forgiveness, The wife holds firm since she is convinced that he had been having an affair with this other woman, and it was not simply a one night stand. Their young daughter is also having problems with the separation and has stopped speaking. The husband manages to convince the wife to come home for Christmas for the sake of the daughter. Its very apparently that the Hero loves the heroine a lot, so one wonders how he could have cheated on her. A lot of misunderstandings have to be cleared up before they can have their HEA.
Story 3 - Rebecca winters
A heartwarming tale of a lost little girl and the kind hearted heroine who found her. The Hero is the deputy Marshall looking for a couple of criminals who have kidnapped a little girl and been on the run. Brooke finds a crying and frozen Sarah who has run away from the evil man. She takes her home to give her food and shelter and immediately falls in love with Sarah. Our hero Vance comes to try and get some details out of Sarah and to see if she is indeed the kidnap victim. This is a lovely tale of how the three of them find love and become a family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2021
Three authors (all new-to-me), three different romances, and three Christmas stories make up this anthology.
Betty Neels writes a British one about a low-level clerk/dietician and the professorial doctor who takes an interest in her. Slow-burning romance, she doesn't realize he is interested in her, that he goes out of his way to be with her. She is falling in love with him, knows he can't be interested in her. Will she finally recognize it, that he might just return her affections?
Margaret Way's romance is set in Australia with two high profile newscasters/journalists split up over supposed infidelity. The couple's daughter goes mute, talking only to her mother and the angel she calls Nicholas. If they return to their home in the Outback, fake a reconciliation, will their daughter recover from the trauma from the split? Will she regain her voice? Is it possible for their love and marriage to succeed?
Rebecca Winters' romance is set in Montana during a blizzard. A five-year-old is found out in the snowy streets by the entrepreneur of a store and taken home. Reporting the situation, she meets another commitment-phobic like herself. He's a deputy and the pair creates a first Christmas for the little girl. Will the magic also work on them?
Three very clean romances for those who don't like graphic sex scenes.
Betty Neels writes a British one about a low-level clerk/dietician and the professorial doctor who takes an interest in her. Slow-burning romance, she doesn't realize he is interested in her, that he goes out of his way to be with her. She is falling in love with him, knows he can't be interested in her. Will she finally recognize it, that he might just return her affections?
Margaret Way's romance is set in Australia with two high profile newscasters/journalists split up over supposed infidelity. The couple's daughter goes mute, talking only to her mother and the angel she calls Nicholas. If they return to their home in the Outback, fake a reconciliation, will their daughter recover from the trauma from the split? Will she regain her voice? Is it possible for their love and marriage to succeed?
Rebecca Winters' romance is set in Montana during a blizzard. A five-year-old is found out in the snowy streets by the entrepreneur of a store and taken home. Reporting the situation, she meets another commitment-phobic like herself. He's a deputy and the pair creates a first Christmas for the little girl. Will the magic also work on them?
Three very clean romances for those who don't like graphic sex scenes.
March 6, 2010
This is my favorite Betty Neels story. Its just such a warm cosy read. The main characters are simple, kind, decent people without all the 'drama' that one finds in 'modern literature'. Nothing dark or sinister here. Always a happy ending!
November 29, 2015
A Christmas Promise by Betty Neels was a good story
Outback Christmas by Margaret Way was okay
Sarah's First Christmas by Rebecca Winters was the best story in the book
Outback Christmas by Margaret Way was okay
Sarah's First Christmas by Rebecca Winters was the best story in the book
December 11, 2025
In the mood for Christmas reads so I reread the Betty Neels story from this book. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
April 1, 2025
Incredible, this collection of books is a must read if you're a woman who understands that you have no autonomy and it really is OK to marry a man you met yesterday provided he's vaguely polite and good with kids. I liked how every story was resolved in the same amount of time, and the lack of character development and real tension was a highlight.
This was Taylahs shit op shop book that she gave me and yeah she banged it, truly dire read.
This was Taylahs shit op shop book that she gave me and yeah she banged it, truly dire read.
January 5, 2018
Too cheesy for my liking
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews