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The Chain of Destiny
Suzannah Lightfoot was alone in the world, without a job or the means to support herself. So when Guy Bowers-Bentinck came to the rescue, she had to accept his help - though she didn't want to be beholden to such an infuriatingly arrogant man.
"He's so tiresome and ill-tempered and impatient and he must hate the sight of me, " Suzannah reflected as fate kept throwing them together.
So it was just as well, she told herself, that she wasn't prepared to join the queue of females wanting to marry him...
"He's so tiresome and ill-tempered and impatient and he must hate the sight of me, " Suzannah reflected as fate kept throwing them together.
So it was just as well, she told herself, that she wasn't prepared to join the queue of females wanting to marry him...
190 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
62 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
About the author
Betty Neels
576 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 55 reviews
March 15, 2022
First of all, let's pause to admire that gorgeous cover by Frank Kalan. One of my absolute faves—the warmth of the light and the wood; the perfectly rendered attic scene capturing the personalities of the almost-pretty, shy but forthright heroine and the unwillingly amused and somewhat skeptical hero. I love this cover, which just FITs the characters (never mind that the hero was actually leaning against the wall during this scene; Kalan actually improved on the description I think!).
From 1989, Betty offered up another rescue-the-waif plot in CoD, with an extremely likable heroine who is given a raw deal but who shows she’d probably manage nicely enough without our interfering, reluctantly attracted hero and a very bitchy Fate (the third wheel in so many Betty books) who is going to pile it on to achieve her end (an HEA, fortunately for us and the heroine).
I liked CoD a lot, although I’m hit or miss with Betty’s waif tales. CoD has just the right amount of angst, a heroine who I believe would eventually have made a good go of it without help, and one of Betty’s cranky, managing heroes who nonetheless manage to redeem himself in the end. A keeper for me.
From 1989, Betty offered up another rescue-the-waif plot in CoD, with an extremely likable heroine who is given a raw deal but who shows she’d probably manage nicely enough without our interfering, reluctantly attracted hero and a very bitchy Fate (the third wheel in so many Betty books) who is going to pile it on to achieve her end (an HEA, fortunately for us and the heroine).
I liked CoD a lot, although I’m hit or miss with Betty’s waif tales. CoD has just the right amount of angst, a heroine who I believe would eventually have made a good go of it without help, and one of Betty’s cranky, managing heroes who nonetheless manage to redeem himself in the end. A keeper for me.
April 19, 2014
Definitely not one of Betty's better books. There actually wasn't any real content here, other than the poor heroine repeatedly getting dumped on (Betty has a way of overdoing this) and the hero rescuing her.
Yet not even the "knight in shining armor" worked because the hero didn't even like the heroine, let alone love her, until the very last chapter of the book. She was more of an annoyance to the hero and the reader. Even the evil OW was a watered down version of what Betty usually gives us.
I recommend a pass on this one. It was too artificial and felt like the leftover cuttings from Betty's other books.
Disappointing, to say the least.
Yet not even the "knight in shining armor" worked because the hero didn't even like the heroine, let alone love her, until the very last chapter of the book. She was more of an annoyance to the hero and the reader. Even the evil OW was a watered down version of what Betty usually gives us.
I recommend a pass on this one. It was too artificial and felt like the leftover cuttings from Betty's other books.
Disappointing, to say the least.
December 14, 2016
Suzannah Lightfoot is an unremarkable girl except for her beautiful grey eyes and red hair; nevertheless, brain surgeon Guy Bowers-Bentinck is quite unable to get her out of his mind. Suzannah has recently lost her only living relative and her job; she has only her cat, Horace, and a drab wardrobe of . . . brown everything. Fortunately, it gets burnt up in a fire at Temp Job #3. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Guy met Suzannah when the local village doctor asked him to consult on an elderly lady who was very ill – Suzannah’s aunt. Sadly, it’s too late for Auntie and Guy admits there is nothing he can do. He is kind to Suzannah, and when he learns Suzannah has lost her job as tour guide at the manor house, he arranges for her to go to his aunts to “sort and catalogue” some old family papers. Temp job #1. They have no objection to Horace, so Suzannah accepts with gratitude, although she doesn’t know about Guy’s interference.
Papers sorted, Guy wants Suzannah to act as companion to a patient he has recently operated on, Julie van Dijl. Yes, she is rich, spoiled and Dutch but not overtly nasty. Again, because of Horace, Suzannah accepts. When Julie recovers, Guy takes Suzannah to his home; she makes up a story about going to stay with a friend (during her overnight stay, he kisses her and she: "remind[s] herself that there were a great many things about him that she didn’t like; she couldn’t call any of them to mind just at that moment, but she would certainly remember them later"), and quickly finds Temp Job #3 as a day care assistant, which comes with a basement flat where Horace is welcome.
After a few weeks here, including a Christmas that Suzannah spends alone (!) with only Horace for company, the daycare is totally destroyed by fire. Suzannah proves herself a true heroine when she is able to get all the children out safely as well as Horace while sustaining a burn on her hand. Poor Suzannah! She literally has nothing in the world except the clothes on her back, which are ruined, and Horace in his basket.
Guy finds her like this at hospital, bandages her hand and takes her home to his housekeeper, whom he instructs to go to Harrod’s and buy her clothes. “Nothing in brown or grey!” Suzannah is delighted with her new wardrobe; although hesitant to accept them, she concedes to Mrs. Cobb’s point that she must have some clothes and she has not a pence to her name (presumably her money burnt up as well?). Mrs. Cobb tells Mr. Cobb that Suzannah and Guy are made for each other – mark her words.
Guy takes Suzannah back to his aunts for a few days. He kisses her when he leaves, which triggers her DR. She makes up her mind to go somewhere she will never see him again. In the meantime, Phoebe comes to see Guy and mentions Suzannah. Guys calls Suzannah a rather special girl, which Phoebe rightly interprets as a declaration of love. Phoebe is of the “if I can’t have him, no one shall” school and makes mischief. Suzannah finds a job as temporary nanny in York – Temp Job #4 and leaves without telling anyone where she is going, except Mrs. Coffin in her home village, with whom she leaves Horace.
Guy has finally surrendered and admits to himself that he cannot live without Suzannah in his life; he panics when he finds out she has disappeared. He goes to see Mrs. Coffin, takes Horace home with him and as soon as he is free of patients, drives to York. Declaration and Proposal follow. “. . . you refused my help in no uncertain manner, didn’t you? It was then that you took possession of my heart and mind . . .several times I thought I would take a chance, and always you backed away and started talking about the weather. But now no more of that. Will you marry me, Suzannah? And I want the answer now, so don’t start arguing!” Of course she will.
I know many Bettys on the TUJD blog are indifferent about this book, but I quite like it – not top 10, but still a solid Betty read, mostly because of Suzannah. She is no doormat; she stands up for herself and takes whatever life dishes out without whining or complaining. It is just her and Horace “against the world” so to speak. I like that Guy can’t seem to help himself; he realizes he is thinking about her more and more until he finally admits he loves her. Once he does, he wastes no time in going after her.
Guy met Suzannah when the local village doctor asked him to consult on an elderly lady who was very ill – Suzannah’s aunt. Sadly, it’s too late for Auntie and Guy admits there is nothing he can do. He is kind to Suzannah, and when he learns Suzannah has lost her job as tour guide at the manor house, he arranges for her to go to his aunts to “sort and catalogue” some old family papers. Temp job #1. They have no objection to Horace, so Suzannah accepts with gratitude, although she doesn’t know about Guy’s interference.
Papers sorted, Guy wants Suzannah to act as companion to a patient he has recently operated on, Julie van Dijl. Yes, she is rich, spoiled and Dutch but not overtly nasty. Again, because of Horace, Suzannah accepts. When Julie recovers, Guy takes Suzannah to his home; she makes up a story about going to stay with a friend (during her overnight stay, he kisses her and she: "remind[s] herself that there were a great many things about him that she didn’t like; she couldn’t call any of them to mind just at that moment, but she would certainly remember them later"), and quickly finds Temp Job #3 as a day care assistant, which comes with a basement flat where Horace is welcome.
After a few weeks here, including a Christmas that Suzannah spends alone (!) with only Horace for company, the daycare is totally destroyed by fire. Suzannah proves herself a true heroine when she is able to get all the children out safely as well as Horace while sustaining a burn on her hand. Poor Suzannah! She literally has nothing in the world except the clothes on her back, which are ruined, and Horace in his basket.
Guy finds her like this at hospital, bandages her hand and takes her home to his housekeeper, whom he instructs to go to Harrod’s and buy her clothes. “Nothing in brown or grey!” Suzannah is delighted with her new wardrobe; although hesitant to accept them, she concedes to Mrs. Cobb’s point that she must have some clothes and she has not a pence to her name (presumably her money burnt up as well?). Mrs. Cobb tells Mr. Cobb that Suzannah and Guy are made for each other – mark her words.
Guy takes Suzannah back to his aunts for a few days. He kisses her when he leaves, which triggers her DR. She makes up her mind to go somewhere she will never see him again. In the meantime, Phoebe comes to see Guy and mentions Suzannah. Guys calls Suzannah a rather special girl, which Phoebe rightly interprets as a declaration of love. Phoebe is of the “if I can’t have him, no one shall” school and makes mischief. Suzannah finds a job as temporary nanny in York – Temp Job #4 and leaves without telling anyone where she is going, except Mrs. Coffin in her home village, with whom she leaves Horace.
Guy has finally surrendered and admits to himself that he cannot live without Suzannah in his life; he panics when he finds out she has disappeared. He goes to see Mrs. Coffin, takes Horace home with him and as soon as he is free of patients, drives to York. Declaration and Proposal follow. “. . . you refused my help in no uncertain manner, didn’t you? It was then that you took possession of my heart and mind . . .several times I thought I would take a chance, and always you backed away and started talking about the weather. But now no more of that. Will you marry me, Suzannah? And I want the answer now, so don’t start arguing!” Of course she will.
I know many Bettys on the TUJD blog are indifferent about this book, but I quite like it – not top 10, but still a solid Betty read, mostly because of Suzannah. She is no doormat; she stands up for herself and takes whatever life dishes out without whining or complaining. It is just her and Horace “against the world” so to speak. I like that Guy can’t seem to help himself; he realizes he is thinking about her more and more until he finally admits he loves her. Once he does, he wastes no time in going after her.
March 20, 2025
“The Chain of Destiny” is the story of Susannah and Guy.
Hard on luck, impoverished and orphaned heroine is rescued time and again by our brooding professor hero. She is independent, he is stoic, there is a sweet cat in the mix; from very early on we can see the hero is smitten and hell bent on helping her while the heroine refused to be a burden, but fate has other plans.
enjoyed it
Safe
4/5
Hard on luck, impoverished and orphaned heroine is rescued time and again by our brooding professor hero. She is independent, he is stoic, there is a sweet cat in the mix; from very early on we can see the hero is smitten and hell bent on helping her while the heroine refused to be a burden, but fate has other plans.
enjoyed it
Safe
4/5
July 24, 2010
Oh dear--truly second, if not third, rate Betty Neels. There is nothing here at all!
Our heroine is one of Betty's later day heroines--nicely educated, but with absolutely no marketable skills (through no fault of her own, you understand).
This reader never really understood why the stand-offish hero took any notice of heroine, much less bothered with what happened to her.
The plot was sort of like the Perils of Pauline--heroine's situation would become really dire, hero would ride to the rescue. Save the day. But then heroine's situation would become dire, hero to rescue--lather, rinse, repeat.
Nothing to see here folks, just move along.
Though our Betty does manage to drop in a few really good lines--
But, if you haven't read it--you haven't missed much.
Our heroine is one of Betty's later day heroines--nicely educated, but with absolutely no marketable skills (through no fault of her own, you understand).
This reader never really understood why the stand-offish hero took any notice of heroine, much less bothered with what happened to her.
The plot was sort of like the Perils of Pauline--heroine's situation would become really dire, hero would ride to the rescue. Save the day. But then heroine's situation would become dire, hero to rescue--lather, rinse, repeat.
Nothing to see here folks, just move along.
Though our Betty does manage to drop in a few really good lines--
But, if you haven't read it--you haven't missed much.
January 31, 2017
it seemed more like a charity case than romance! Suzanah was homeless, without a penny and was very plain. it was repeated over the book dat she had nothing to attract a man. Guy felt pity for her, simple and basic. he felt responsible. apart from dat, i cud not gauge any other feelings. i absolutely hated Phoebe. she was a cold and unsympathetic bitch !
December 15, 2019
The things that happened to the poor h were just awful
July 27, 2014
I have read many Betty Neels books and I always enjoy them. She always includes wonderful descriptions of places that the characters are. The majority of her books take place in England and The Netherlands. They are not your typical romance novels. The main characters usually meet by chance in some unexpected situation and don’t have that “love at first sight” experience; but, will tend to find themselves questioning how they feel about the other person and at times might even find themselves annoyed by them or think them rather standoffish. In this story the main male character, Professor Guy Bowers-Bentinck takes pity on Suzannah Lightfoot, when the daughter of one of his patients fires her and kicks her out of her lodgings after her elderly aunt, with whom she was living, dies. Suzannah does not want to be beholden to Guy so she tells him she has a place to live and is actively looking for a job. The two seem to “rub each other the wrong way”. Then the Professor offers her a job with his elderly aunts for a while. This job comes to an end and Suzannah has no prospects as yet when the Professor offers her a job for a month or so with one of his recovering patients, as a companion. This time the patient is a younger woman closer to Suzannah’s age. This job keeps Suzannah biting her tongue as the girl can be very trying. Along the way, they have a mutual respect for each other, but you never really see it as anything more, until they realize that they are each thinking of the other in odd moments. A good story.
June 30, 2025
3.5 stars. It would have been higher if they had just communicated a bit better. There were also a few ridiculous twists and turns, but overall a decent silly 'ol Betty book. :)
June 16, 2023
Suzannah gets a tough deal in this BN! She is one of Betty's plain heroines with very little family and a cat named Horace. She has all the character and drive she needs to thrive on her own, but some rough things happen to her through no fault of her own and it made for quite a gripping read. She is stubbornly independent too, which I appreciate about her, though I also longed for her to let her guard down more with the hero, Guy Bowers-Bentinck. He is definitely one of BN's managing males (are there any that aren't??), but I liked him quite a bit. I enjoyed his slow realization of his love for Suzannah and how they each come to appreciate the other after a rocky start.
March 28, 2024
1 star ⭐️ The hero and heroine had brief interactions over half the story and we’re supposed to believe they fell in love. When they did talk, the author didn’t go much into the dialogue and only told the reader that they had a long conversation and enjoyed it. This was more a story about the heroine’s mundane life and her tales of unemployment and random short lived jobs. 😭
October 17, 2019
No llega a ser heart-warming, pero aun así contiene los mejores rasgos de una novelita Betty.
October 8, 2010
I loved reading about our hero, Guy, struggling with his desire to rescue Suzannah. She tries so hard to be self-reliant and she succeeds on several occasions. But Guy - well he finds out that he can't go on without her in his life and so continues to try and rescue her! I loved how he goes nuts when he doesn't know where she is! Betty Neels describes his reaction so well. This was a great story!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2025
I've read most of Betty's books, some more than once, but have made note of none on GR. Last year I started my challenge with my VFB* and that went so nicely--good way to set the tone for a year, good to have a whole book read already, good to start importing my TGB love here--I figured to do the same this year. With one-or-a-few Bettys, particularly considering the first nonfic I'm reading is quite lengthy and it's a great offset to get a few read in the meantime.
*very favorite Betty
Of Betty's three basic heroines who get basic plots built around them--curvy tall vicar's daughters, the Aramintas, and the few outliers--the Aramintas are my favored ones. This book really hits all the notes of that: plain but beautiful in her way heroine, remote to everyone until he meets Her hero, heroine who faces setback after setback but digs in and keeps trying and trying, hero who can't stop thinking about her but also can't admit why until oooooh, and what they awaken in one another on their way to a HEA (that Betty makes clear will most definitely be HEA).
What I also enjoy is the Aramintas earn their HEA. They are allowed wins. But they're neither too worthy nor too useless. They're imperfect and pert, determined and caring, and see to their better future equal to being rescued--and then the hard times -do- end--and all of that is important and enjoyable too.
I recognize times of my life in Betty books. When things were lean. When I had Christmases alone that were -fine- but not wonderful. A certain wistfulness her heroines can exhibit; never defeated or surrendering to being forever unhappy, but definitely teetering a bit up under too many challenges all at once to face alone. Making do, making money last, but also, finding simple pleasures in a cup of tea and a tasty crumpet or a long walk.
Betty's books are old fashioned, which I unironically love, and her old fashioned ways hold a charm that works for me. I love her coziness, the sensibleness of her characters, and the large Dutch doctors who fall for their small plain mice.
This one offers it all that in spades. The majority of Betty books the hero is much more guarded on the page, but learn the Betty ways, and you get the falling-in-love (and not wanting to admit it) struggle he goes through between the lines. This book has far more of his feelings evident, including his dawning realization and then a generous number of pages from the ending of him impatient to see her, and then have her with him always.
Here he's mad that she lies to him (because he wants to know that she's going to be cared for and the lies prevent him from ensuring that); he's mad she felt she had to (doesn't she know she can trust me?); humbled she would lie so as not to be a burden; slowly falling and you watch him tip over into it; so content making her sandwiches and cocoa and sharing her company while planning their future in his mind; the way he doesn't realize he's planning their future, quite, and takes it for granted she'll simply be there to fall in once he's ready; the worry and tearing around to find her and boiling impatience to have her that calms to that contentment again once her hands are in his.
-swoon-
Susannah is a worthy recipient of all of this. She really gets bounced around, from Guy-guided situation to situation, until she thinks she has to break from him, and when she does she straightens her shoulders and just keeps doing her best. She's also worthy of living in definite security--and the love Guy rarely shows anyone but already envisions for her and their children. Horace (her trusty cat) deserves to forever be by the Aga with Henry, as well.
They'll be happy in the London house, happy in the country house, happy with the children and the donkeys and more dogs and cats, happy when Guy scales back his workload, happy because he finally has a reason to scale back his workload, just besotted and content and happy together. Nice.
*very favorite Betty
Of Betty's three basic heroines who get basic plots built around them--curvy tall vicar's daughters, the Aramintas, and the few outliers--the Aramintas are my favored ones. This book really hits all the notes of that: plain but beautiful in her way heroine, remote to everyone until he meets Her hero, heroine who faces setback after setback but digs in and keeps trying and trying, hero who can't stop thinking about her but also can't admit why until oooooh, and what they awaken in one another on their way to a HEA (that Betty makes clear will most definitely be HEA).
What I also enjoy is the Aramintas earn their HEA. They are allowed wins. But they're neither too worthy nor too useless. They're imperfect and pert, determined and caring, and see to their better future equal to being rescued--and then the hard times -do- end--and all of that is important and enjoyable too.
I recognize times of my life in Betty books. When things were lean. When I had Christmases alone that were -fine- but not wonderful. A certain wistfulness her heroines can exhibit; never defeated or surrendering to being forever unhappy, but definitely teetering a bit up under too many challenges all at once to face alone. Making do, making money last, but also, finding simple pleasures in a cup of tea and a tasty crumpet or a long walk.
Betty's books are old fashioned, which I unironically love, and her old fashioned ways hold a charm that works for me. I love her coziness, the sensibleness of her characters, and the large Dutch doctors who fall for their small plain mice.
This one offers it all that in spades. The majority of Betty books the hero is much more guarded on the page, but learn the Betty ways, and you get the falling-in-love (and not wanting to admit it) struggle he goes through between the lines. This book has far more of his feelings evident, including his dawning realization and then a generous number of pages from the ending of him impatient to see her, and then have her with him always.
Here he's mad that she lies to him (because he wants to know that she's going to be cared for and the lies prevent him from ensuring that); he's mad she felt she had to (doesn't she know she can trust me?); humbled she would lie so as not to be a burden; slowly falling and you watch him tip over into it; so content making her sandwiches and cocoa and sharing her company while planning their future in his mind; the way he doesn't realize he's planning their future, quite, and takes it for granted she'll simply be there to fall in once he's ready; the worry and tearing around to find her and boiling impatience to have her that calms to that contentment again once her hands are in his.
-swoon-
Susannah is a worthy recipient of all of this. She really gets bounced around, from Guy-guided situation to situation, until she thinks she has to break from him, and when she does she straightens her shoulders and just keeps doing her best. She's also worthy of living in definite security--and the love Guy rarely shows anyone but already envisions for her and their children. Horace (her trusty cat) deserves to forever be by the Aga with Henry, as well.
They'll be happy in the London house, happy in the country house, happy with the children and the donkeys and more dogs and cats, happy when Guy scales back his workload, happy because he finally has a reason to scale back his workload, just besotted and content and happy together. Nice.
March 7, 2011
This is the first book I've read by Betty Neels (that I remember anyway), though of course I see her name all the time. I love the old quaint Harlequins, and this certainly qualifies (published in 1990, the year my first daughter was born). But it was a little frustrating also. Throughout most of the book, the hero and heroine hardly ever see each other and it's kind of hard to see how they could fall in love.
Suzannah Lightfoot lives with her elderly aunt and works as a tour guide for an historical home. When her aunt dies, and then she is let go from her job, she finds herself looking for employment and a place for herself and her cat to live. Guy Bowers-Bentinck is a brain surgeon, who, while not really caring much for her or being too impressed with her, finds himself worrying about her future and trying to help her find a way to support herself.
It's a pleasant little read, but not especially compelling.
Suzannah Lightfoot lives with her elderly aunt and works as a tour guide for an historical home. When her aunt dies, and then she is let go from her job, she finds herself looking for employment and a place for herself and her cat to live. Guy Bowers-Bentinck is a brain surgeon, who, while not really caring much for her or being too impressed with her, finds himself worrying about her future and trying to help her find a way to support herself.
It's a pleasant little read, but not especially compelling.
July 27, 2013
I enjoyed this cute story, BUT... I am so fucking tired of
January 28, 2013
I couldn't help but cry a couple times.
August 6, 2021
This is one of four romance books that are pure nostalgia for me. Back in the olden days, I discovered romance when I was high school. I signed up for this Harlequin Romance book subscription service where you get free books to start and then every month you get sent a new one. I honestly can't remember if I ever purchased or got the new ones. I only remember getting my "starter pack" that consisted of 4 books that I read over and over and over. This was one of them. Over the years, I got rid of them. Recently, I found and purchased them all again. Because nostalgia is strong, people.
This book follows a plain young woman who is poor and living in the country, loses her aunt, her job, and her home within a couple weeks and somehow causes the hot bachelor to want to take care of her. As a young American girl, these books set in the UK were like crack to me. I loved and romanticized the shit out of these books purely just for being set in a different country.
There is actually quite a bit of things that happen in this book plot-wise. More than I remember there being. Suzannah Lightfoot (seriously that name!) kind of hops from job to job and goes from place to place all while sporadically running into the professor. He has a name, but it is actually rarely used as she mainly refers to him as "the professor." He is a rich brain surgeon in his mid-thirties who is not tied down cause no one has been able to catch this catch. He is, of course, portrayed and manly and handsome and cold on the outside, but somehow everyone talks about very kind he is. 🙄
There is very little romance and/or tension in this book. Suzannah is a pretty good character. She wants to do shit on her own, but manages to have lots of things go wrong for her. But she just keeps on getting back up and trying to pull herself together. The professor wants to take care of her (because of course he does), but doesn't even realize that he's in love with her until the very end. It's kind of weird romance. He randomly kisses her, but there's no real romance behind it or the describing of it. It's just "he kissed her" and then we move on.
From an objective point of view, there is nothing special about this book or these characters and definitely not this romance. I mean, the author was 80 freaking years old when it was published, which actually makes waaaaaay more sense than I realized. It doesn't really age well with the way he talks to her or acts. He's super condescending. But... nostalgia is strong! I felt the weird ache I get in my chest when there's angst in a book through the entire second half. It makes no sense!
So for pure nostalgia this would get a 5 star rating. If I'm attempting to be objective it would probably be a 2. I thought about giving it a 4 just for a fair middle ground, but I loved rereading this. It made me super happy. So take my 5 star rating with a grain of salt.
This book follows a plain young woman who is poor and living in the country, loses her aunt, her job, and her home within a couple weeks and somehow causes the hot bachelor to want to take care of her. As a young American girl, these books set in the UK were like crack to me. I loved and romanticized the shit out of these books purely just for being set in a different country.
There is actually quite a bit of things that happen in this book plot-wise. More than I remember there being. Suzannah Lightfoot (seriously that name!) kind of hops from job to job and goes from place to place all while sporadically running into the professor. He has a name, but it is actually rarely used as she mainly refers to him as "the professor." He is a rich brain surgeon in his mid-thirties who is not tied down cause no one has been able to catch this catch. He is, of course, portrayed and manly and handsome and cold on the outside, but somehow everyone talks about very kind he is. 🙄
There is very little romance and/or tension in this book. Suzannah is a pretty good character. She wants to do shit on her own, but manages to have lots of things go wrong for her. But she just keeps on getting back up and trying to pull herself together. The professor wants to take care of her (because of course he does), but doesn't even realize that he's in love with her until the very end. It's kind of weird romance. He randomly kisses her, but there's no real romance behind it or the describing of it. It's just "he kissed her" and then we move on.
From an objective point of view, there is nothing special about this book or these characters and definitely not this romance. I mean, the author was 80 freaking years old when it was published, which actually makes waaaaaay more sense than I realized. It doesn't really age well with the way he talks to her or acts. He's super condescending. But... nostalgia is strong! I felt the weird ache I get in my chest when there's angst in a book through the entire second half. It makes no sense!
So for pure nostalgia this would get a 5 star rating. If I'm attempting to be objective it would probably be a 2. I thought about giving it a 4 just for a fair middle ground, but I loved rereading this. It made me super happy. So take my 5 star rating with a grain of salt.
August 17, 2021
A fairly typical Betty Neels except our sweet and intelligent, but not particularly pretty heroine has bright red hair and the Doctor is not Dutch. However he is always on hand to rescue her, to the point where she gets a little tired of it and tries to find her own way only for him then to finally realize that he has been in love with her all along.
January 18, 2012
3 1/2 Stars! ~ Suzannah is a young woman who suddenly finds herself homeless and without work when her Aunt passes away. Guy (the Professor) having witnessed Suzannah's eviction from her Aunt's home, feels badly and arranges, without her knowledge, for her to take a job with his Aunts to help her get herself on her feet. Suzannah thinks the professor is rude and not very nice, and finds that whenever she is in trouble he seems to be there to help her. Guy's not sure what it is about this woman that makes him want to take care of her, and so he continues to help her behind the scenes.
This was a sweet story. Suzannah has quite the tongue on her and doesn't hesitate to say what she wants to. Guy finds himself enchanted and annoyed with her at the same time. But he admires her determination to make it on her own. This book reads more like an historical than one written present tense in the 90's. It's a story I found myself enjoying.
This was a sweet story. Suzannah has quite the tongue on her and doesn't hesitate to say what she wants to. Guy finds himself enchanted and annoyed with her at the same time. But he admires her determination to make it on her own. This book reads more like an historical than one written present tense in the 90's. It's a story I found myself enjoying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2012
This of the two betty neels books I read was not my favorite. After reaing A Good Wife reading this felt to me like reaing almost the same book. Very few things in the story change: the last name of the female character is the same. The male character is a dr, both women have no where to go and need rescuing. Not sure if this is part of a series or if her books are just similar will be reading more though to find out.
April 26, 2018
According to my reading logs I read this one three years ago but I honestly did not remember the story line. A complete reread was called for.
Suzannah Lightfoot and Guy Bowers-Bentinck are traditional Betty Neel characters. Readers will also get a glimpse of their HEA in The Mistletoe Kiss which is why it was so important for me to reread this story.
Suzannah Lightfoot and Guy Bowers-Bentinck are traditional Betty Neel characters. Readers will also get a glimpse of their HEA in The Mistletoe Kiss which is why it was so important for me to reread this story.
October 3, 2010
Another Betty Neels sweet, gentle, a quick read. Young lady of gentle upbringing in distress; no funds, no family, no future. A doctor of that middle age steps in to arrange her future despite female with funds who has other plans for the doctor's future.
True love wins in the end.
True love wins in the end.
March 18, 2021
Happily ever after
Romance readers will love this decidedly old fashioned story, Betty creates characters that are relatable, likeable and a slow burn that’ll have you craving more. She was a remarkable lady.
It’s a yes from me.
Romance readers will love this decidedly old fashioned story, Betty creates characters that are relatable, likeable and a slow burn that’ll have you craving more. She was a remarkable lady.
It’s a yes from me.
December 29, 2011
This is a low three stars. A bit odd for La Neels, I'm not sure what to think.
April 3, 2012
Cute story, the writing was a bit jumpy, but a fun read all the same.
October 6, 2013
This heroine was almost too long suffering.
December 26, 2015
Lovely Neels story.
January 19, 2026
Read: 31Oct25, 9Jan26,
4.4 stars. so.... this one was tough to rate because its not quite up there with some of my favourite 4.5 and 5 star Betty stories but by the time it ended it was very good and I would definitely enjoy reading it again in anticipation of the ending.
the reason I like it so much is that the H, Guy, pushes back against his own growing feelings so much. he is determined to remain icy and for his heart and life to remain untouched by h and yet he can't help needed to know that our h, Susannah, is safe and well and he can't help going out of his way and disrupting his own life to interfere with hers. and as the book goes on, we get a growing sense of his angst and dissatisfaction every time Susannah, who knows he perceives her as a nuisance, pulls a disappearing act and he can't find her. it was delicious. how lovely to get some of the hero's pov in this book.
so anyway, this is the one where h lives with her old granny in a cottage on the estate of a Manor house and scrapes a living giving guided tours of the local Old lordling"s Manor house. but then her granny dies and the lordling"s horrid cold hearted granddaughter fires our h and throws her out of her home that same week. wth! this awful cow is also the OW who wants to marry the H.
H is a rich brit doctor with all the trappings that make him a fab catch and very highly respected with his work etc. he meets h at the manor house where she chides him for skulking around the manor house without a ticket and he is icily arrogant (he's there as a guest of the lordling and OW) and yet he ends up buying a ticket and joining Susannahs tour, much to her annoyance.
when h gets fired, he sees she is upset and goes to offer help, but she perceives him as arrogant and she is foggy from her panic and greif and so she tells him to sod off. he tells her icily that he had been about to offer her help but is going to leave since she is too rude to want it. he leaves. sob!
and yet... he feels bad and ends up conspiring to find her a job with his old aunts, which is good because she has been failing to find work and is desperate to find a place to take her and her beloved cat.
I did actually struggle to get into this book and put it down for a week or so before picking it up again. perhaps I wasn't in the right mood. perhaps it was because it was a slow start. despite the initial very promising sparks and conflict, h and H don't meet much at first and neither of them develops feelings early on. I prefer for my h to fall first, which provides all the opportunity for angst, but this h doesn't catch those sorts of feelings for him, nor him for her for quite a long time. he really does think of her as a nuisance that keeps landing in trouble in his lap.
SPOILERS
in fact, in terms of their feelings, even though he finds himself taking her out to show her the sights of holland etc, he doesn't even show a hint of personal feelings towards her until 60% he thinks he might like her a little. but just a little, and perceives this as meaningless. lShe doesn't think she even likes him as a person until 70%.
that's when stuff starts to change. at that point he has got her a second job in holland after the one with the aunts ended. he found a young woman, a dutch fam friend, who needed a companion for a couple of weeks to recover from an illness and chivvied h into taking the job. this dutch girl also played role of an OW but in a half hearted way since really she wanted some other guy.
anyway, when that holland job is over the Prof takes h back to the UK, and asks her what she will do next. she cant bear to be a nusiance tonhim again so she lies and says she has a friend in London she can stay with so that he doesn't have to look after her. she doesn't want his pity and doesn't feel she should be his responsibility, and it's so sad because really poor Susannah has no-one in the world. no family. no friends in London where she is most likely to find a job.
despite his efforts to keep an eye in her, she pulls another disappearing act (she lucks into a live-in nursery school assistant job) and this time H is unwillingly put out by it and doesn't understand why. he is irked that he doesnt know where she is and angry that she didn't write him the letter she'd told his staff she would send him. and it's lovely to see his strong reaction when he suddenly meets her again a month later. and even though he doesn't seem to realise it and puts up his icy facade to h, he is hurt that she tells him she is perfectly happy and has her future planned and doesn't need him. and the poor girl says this even though she has been incredibly lonely and had even spent Xmas all alone! sob! he leaves, angry.
fate brings them together again after the nursery she is working and living at burns down and susannah has her hand burned rescuing a child. Prof sees her exhausted and waiting in the hospital and this time he is so shaken and upset that he swears and even his staff are concerned by his strong reaction. he treats her hand himself (even though he is a brain surgeon) and takes her back to his own house to stay a night despite her protestations. the girl is still protesting even though she and her kitty are now officially HOMELESS and have nowhere to go but the streets! at this point I don't know if I loathe or love her optimism and determined indepence and pride, but mostly I love it.
so anyway, at his house he takes care of her and they talk about her next steps and what career she should have in the long term and he is tells her he doesn't think her being a nurse would suit her and not to even bother thinking about being a teacher for now. so I'm thinking this is the actions of a Betty hero when he has decided he wants to marry a h! ooh. exciting! and so suddenly at 75%! Except then she falls asleep and he watches her and he thinks there is nothing about her ordinary face to catch a mans attention and shrugs. Gaargh. lol. the man is still fighting those feelings hard and I'm loving it!
But then, since her clothes were all burned in the fire, he tells his housekeeper to buy h some clothes from harrods and his housekeeper observes to her hubby that the Prof doesn't realise it yet but he is sweet on her...
next day, Fresh in her new clothes, h is disappointed the Prof never even noticed. he is keen to pack her off to go to his aunts house again, and she feels sad he is so keen to get rid of the nuisance that is her and she realises she's fallen in love with him. at 78%. thats how long it took for one of them to suddenly realise they have feelings. it was quite a wait!
even after this point, we still dont get much angst in this story. the ow came to cause drama but its not like he was dating OW or anyone else and thus h didn't feel the angst. pity. I love a bit of angst.
the climactic breakup happens when OW comes to stir the pot and h flees to far away york. this happens after the H has finally realised he misses the h whenever she goes away and even told her this, and acknowledged to himself he likes her a lot but isn't quite sure if it's love, but he is determined to find out. he relaised he had feelings when h discussed going to work somewhere far away (running from heartbreak) and he realised he couldnt bear the thought of it. so he knows she is a special kind of person at this point and even said so to the OW, which is why OW seeks h out at the aunts house and claims that she and H are getting married and that he feels sorry for h and he's always trying to help out lame dogs. what a cow! I wish she'd got a comeuppance but they never do in Betty books.
so anyway, h pulls another disappearing act and H is v upset this time as he thought he finally had her safe with his aunts. and he goes tearing around the countryside to track down where she could have gone. we love a determined H! he goes after her all the way to york of course and confesses his feelings. he even realises (and tells her) that he loved her from that first day but never knew it. which makes sense because he brought a ticket to her guided tour just so he could watch her. how sweet!
one of the best things about this story was that although yet again we have a Betty H who simply refuses to tell the h how he feels or that he wants to spend his life with her, playing the enigmatic controlled man for all he is worth, this time this H really regrets it and must suffer repeated angst and consequences for it, lol. his regret is more implied than stated, but its there in his every angsty action when he's searching for her in a big panic. it was YUM.
so anyway, I think this one will be delightful on the reread because we know the hero is in store for his share of angst and regret and we love it!
4.4 stars. so.... this one was tough to rate because its not quite up there with some of my favourite 4.5 and 5 star Betty stories but by the time it ended it was very good and I would definitely enjoy reading it again in anticipation of the ending.
the reason I like it so much is that the H, Guy, pushes back against his own growing feelings so much. he is determined to remain icy and for his heart and life to remain untouched by h and yet he can't help needed to know that our h, Susannah, is safe and well and he can't help going out of his way and disrupting his own life to interfere with hers. and as the book goes on, we get a growing sense of his angst and dissatisfaction every time Susannah, who knows he perceives her as a nuisance, pulls a disappearing act and he can't find her. it was delicious. how lovely to get some of the hero's pov in this book.
so anyway, this is the one where h lives with her old granny in a cottage on the estate of a Manor house and scrapes a living giving guided tours of the local Old lordling"s Manor house. but then her granny dies and the lordling"s horrid cold hearted granddaughter fires our h and throws her out of her home that same week. wth! this awful cow is also the OW who wants to marry the H.
H is a rich brit doctor with all the trappings that make him a fab catch and very highly respected with his work etc. he meets h at the manor house where she chides him for skulking around the manor house without a ticket and he is icily arrogant (he's there as a guest of the lordling and OW) and yet he ends up buying a ticket and joining Susannahs tour, much to her annoyance.
when h gets fired, he sees she is upset and goes to offer help, but she perceives him as arrogant and she is foggy from her panic and greif and so she tells him to sod off. he tells her icily that he had been about to offer her help but is going to leave since she is too rude to want it. he leaves. sob!
and yet... he feels bad and ends up conspiring to find her a job with his old aunts, which is good because she has been failing to find work and is desperate to find a place to take her and her beloved cat.
I did actually struggle to get into this book and put it down for a week or so before picking it up again. perhaps I wasn't in the right mood. perhaps it was because it was a slow start. despite the initial very promising sparks and conflict, h and H don't meet much at first and neither of them develops feelings early on. I prefer for my h to fall first, which provides all the opportunity for angst, but this h doesn't catch those sorts of feelings for him, nor him for her for quite a long time. he really does think of her as a nuisance that keeps landing in trouble in his lap.
SPOILERS
in fact, in terms of their feelings, even though he finds himself taking her out to show her the sights of holland etc, he doesn't even show a hint of personal feelings towards her until 60% he thinks he might like her a little. but just a little, and perceives this as meaningless. lShe doesn't think she even likes him as a person until 70%.
that's when stuff starts to change. at that point he has got her a second job in holland after the one with the aunts ended. he found a young woman, a dutch fam friend, who needed a companion for a couple of weeks to recover from an illness and chivvied h into taking the job. this dutch girl also played role of an OW but in a half hearted way since really she wanted some other guy.
anyway, when that holland job is over the Prof takes h back to the UK, and asks her what she will do next. she cant bear to be a nusiance tonhim again so she lies and says she has a friend in London she can stay with so that he doesn't have to look after her. she doesn't want his pity and doesn't feel she should be his responsibility, and it's so sad because really poor Susannah has no-one in the world. no family. no friends in London where she is most likely to find a job.
despite his efforts to keep an eye in her, she pulls another disappearing act (she lucks into a live-in nursery school assistant job) and this time H is unwillingly put out by it and doesn't understand why. he is irked that he doesnt know where she is and angry that she didn't write him the letter she'd told his staff she would send him. and it's lovely to see his strong reaction when he suddenly meets her again a month later. and even though he doesn't seem to realise it and puts up his icy facade to h, he is hurt that she tells him she is perfectly happy and has her future planned and doesn't need him. and the poor girl says this even though she has been incredibly lonely and had even spent Xmas all alone! sob! he leaves, angry.
fate brings them together again after the nursery she is working and living at burns down and susannah has her hand burned rescuing a child. Prof sees her exhausted and waiting in the hospital and this time he is so shaken and upset that he swears and even his staff are concerned by his strong reaction. he treats her hand himself (even though he is a brain surgeon) and takes her back to his own house to stay a night despite her protestations. the girl is still protesting even though she and her kitty are now officially HOMELESS and have nowhere to go but the streets! at this point I don't know if I loathe or love her optimism and determined indepence and pride, but mostly I love it.
so anyway, at his house he takes care of her and they talk about her next steps and what career she should have in the long term and he is tells her he doesn't think her being a nurse would suit her and not to even bother thinking about being a teacher for now. so I'm thinking this is the actions of a Betty hero when he has decided he wants to marry a h! ooh. exciting! and so suddenly at 75%! Except then she falls asleep and he watches her and he thinks there is nothing about her ordinary face to catch a mans attention and shrugs. Gaargh. lol. the man is still fighting those feelings hard and I'm loving it!
But then, since her clothes were all burned in the fire, he tells his housekeeper to buy h some clothes from harrods and his housekeeper observes to her hubby that the Prof doesn't realise it yet but he is sweet on her...
next day, Fresh in her new clothes, h is disappointed the Prof never even noticed. he is keen to pack her off to go to his aunts house again, and she feels sad he is so keen to get rid of the nuisance that is her and she realises she's fallen in love with him. at 78%. thats how long it took for one of them to suddenly realise they have feelings. it was quite a wait!
even after this point, we still dont get much angst in this story. the ow came to cause drama but its not like he was dating OW or anyone else and thus h didn't feel the angst. pity. I love a bit of angst.
the climactic breakup happens when OW comes to stir the pot and h flees to far away york. this happens after the H has finally realised he misses the h whenever she goes away and even told her this, and acknowledged to himself he likes her a lot but isn't quite sure if it's love, but he is determined to find out. he relaised he had feelings when h discussed going to work somewhere far away (running from heartbreak) and he realised he couldnt bear the thought of it. so he knows she is a special kind of person at this point and even said so to the OW, which is why OW seeks h out at the aunts house and claims that she and H are getting married and that he feels sorry for h and he's always trying to help out lame dogs. what a cow! I wish she'd got a comeuppance but they never do in Betty books.
so anyway, h pulls another disappearing act and H is v upset this time as he thought he finally had her safe with his aunts. and he goes tearing around the countryside to track down where she could have gone. we love a determined H! he goes after her all the way to york of course and confesses his feelings. he even realises (and tells her) that he loved her from that first day but never knew it. which makes sense because he brought a ticket to her guided tour just so he could watch her. how sweet!
one of the best things about this story was that although yet again we have a Betty H who simply refuses to tell the h how he feels or that he wants to spend his life with her, playing the enigmatic controlled man for all he is worth, this time this H really regrets it and must suffer repeated angst and consequences for it, lol. his regret is more implied than stated, but its there in his every angsty action when he's searching for her in a big panic. it was YUM.
so anyway, I think this one will be delightful on the reread because we know the hero is in store for his share of angst and regret and we love it!
March 15, 2022
Todas las estrellas 🤩 Todas ,para esta novela de Betty cuyo título se mantuvo fiel al original "La cadena del destino".
La protagonista es Suzannah Lightfoot una joven de ventitantos años, sin familia alguna exceptuando a una tía enferma a quien cuida (sus padres murieron en un accidente) y sin estudios o preparación académica(no es enfermera pero planea serlo porque le facilitaria un empleo y lugar donde vivir , aunque aspiro alguna vez a la docencia no pudo iniciar esos estudios porque tuvo que cuidar de su tía).
Ella vive una vida simple pero limitada económicamente,es empleada como guía en una vieja casa hasta que la despiden una vez que su tía muere...y así sin lugar donde vivir ni dinero más que algunos pocos ahorros Suzannah comienza su camino.
Sola con la única compañía de su gato Horacio nuestra heroína irá de trabajo en trabajo,de ciudad al campo hasta la conmovedora escena final en que su héroe la rescata.
Suzannah es la clásica heroína Betty, delgada,sin mayores atractivos que un par de ojos grandes y grises pero con una cabellera pelirroja que la destaca ante los ojos de su interés romántico el doctor Guy Bowers-Bentinck .Este se topa con la chica casualmente en la casona donde ella oficia de guía , Suzannah queda impactada por la altura y presencia de él y no pasa más entre ellos que algun comentario irónico y alguna mirada.Pero fiel al canon eso basta para los encuentros fortuitos entre ellos y para despertar en el doctor una imperiosa necesidad de protección con ella.
La heroína de esta historia atraviesa muchas situaciones extremas,se queda sin casa y sin trabajo en repetidas ocasiones,su primer empleo es casi una obra de caridad del doctor, pués trabaja para unas tías mayores de él, después se emplea en una guardería donde le dan alojamiento pero este se incendia y ella pierde todo, termina sola con su gato en la guardia de un hospital donde Guy la ve impotente de no poder hacer mucho para cambiar la vida de esa joven que insiste en entrometerse en su vida una vez más.Hasta ahí el doctor se siente atraído y preocupado por Suzannah pero sin admitir aún sus sentimientos reales.
Como es un clásico en las novelas Betty tenemos también una antagonista o villana que es la que siembra las dudas y humilla en cuanto puede a la abnegada y humilde protagonista. Después de un par de mentiras por parte de la mala nuestra heroína escapa porque no quiere la caridad del doctor que supuestamente va a casarse y la quiere de su empleada.
Suzannah se marcha una vez más, consigue un empleo de niñera en el campo y así sin más que su gato se aleja. Para cuando Guy se entera que ya no está se desespera y comienza a buscarla hasta que la encuentra,la toma de su mano,le revela su amor y le pide matrimonio.
Me ha gustado mucho Guy, él nunca es lo suficientemente frío con ella,es claro y sincero no la confunde sino que la acompaña y está ahi para ella siempre, aunque no sepa por qué.Tiene una gran sentido del humor, aunque impaciente le expresa su cariño en repetidas ocasiones, porque hay varios besos entre ellos🙏🥰😌. Suzannah es todo lo que me gustan de las heroínas Betty,se mantiene impasible ante la adversidad,es convenientemente sensata y optimista, algo tímida pero jamás sentirá pena de si misma,es valiente y dice lo que piensa sin temor.es fuerte pero sensible y no dejaría a su gato solo nunca. Y con héroe romántico o no ella se las arreglaría sola igual de bien .
La protagonista es Suzannah Lightfoot una joven de ventitantos años, sin familia alguna exceptuando a una tía enferma a quien cuida (sus padres murieron en un accidente) y sin estudios o preparación académica(no es enfermera pero planea serlo porque le facilitaria un empleo y lugar donde vivir , aunque aspiro alguna vez a la docencia no pudo iniciar esos estudios porque tuvo que cuidar de su tía).
Ella vive una vida simple pero limitada económicamente,es empleada como guía en una vieja casa hasta que la despiden una vez que su tía muere...y así sin lugar donde vivir ni dinero más que algunos pocos ahorros Suzannah comienza su camino.
Sola con la única compañía de su gato Horacio nuestra heroína irá de trabajo en trabajo,de ciudad al campo hasta la conmovedora escena final en que su héroe la rescata.
Suzannah es la clásica heroína Betty, delgada,sin mayores atractivos que un par de ojos grandes y grises pero con una cabellera pelirroja que la destaca ante los ojos de su interés romántico el doctor Guy Bowers-Bentinck .Este se topa con la chica casualmente en la casona donde ella oficia de guía , Suzannah queda impactada por la altura y presencia de él y no pasa más entre ellos que algun comentario irónico y alguna mirada.Pero fiel al canon eso basta para los encuentros fortuitos entre ellos y para despertar en el doctor una imperiosa necesidad de protección con ella.
La heroína de esta historia atraviesa muchas situaciones extremas,se queda sin casa y sin trabajo en repetidas ocasiones,su primer empleo es casi una obra de caridad del doctor, pués trabaja para unas tías mayores de él, después se emplea en una guardería donde le dan alojamiento pero este se incendia y ella pierde todo, termina sola con su gato en la guardia de un hospital donde Guy la ve impotente de no poder hacer mucho para cambiar la vida de esa joven que insiste en entrometerse en su vida una vez más.Hasta ahí el doctor se siente atraído y preocupado por Suzannah pero sin admitir aún sus sentimientos reales.
Como es un clásico en las novelas Betty tenemos también una antagonista o villana que es la que siembra las dudas y humilla en cuanto puede a la abnegada y humilde protagonista. Después de un par de mentiras por parte de la mala nuestra heroína escapa porque no quiere la caridad del doctor que supuestamente va a casarse y la quiere de su empleada.
Suzannah se marcha una vez más, consigue un empleo de niñera en el campo y así sin más que su gato se aleja. Para cuando Guy se entera que ya no está se desespera y comienza a buscarla hasta que la encuentra,la toma de su mano,le revela su amor y le pide matrimonio.
Me ha gustado mucho Guy, él nunca es lo suficientemente frío con ella,es claro y sincero no la confunde sino que la acompaña y está ahi para ella siempre, aunque no sepa por qué.Tiene una gran sentido del humor, aunque impaciente le expresa su cariño en repetidas ocasiones, porque hay varios besos entre ellos🙏🥰😌. Suzannah es todo lo que me gustan de las heroínas Betty,se mantiene impasible ante la adversidad,es convenientemente sensata y optimista, algo tímida pero jamás sentirá pena de si misma,es valiente y dice lo que piensa sin temor.es fuerte pero sensible y no dejaría a su gato solo nunca. Y con héroe romántico o no ella se las arreglaría sola igual de bien .
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