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The Course of True Love
Getting engaged to Marc van Borsele was the last thing Claribel wanted. Marc was the most annoying and exasperating man she had ever met! But, as the engagement was only pretence and she did owe Marc a favor, Claribel agreed. She soon discovered that make believe can come true, even if you don't want it to! Before she knew it, Claribel found herself head over heels in love...and the course of true love never did run smooth.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 1988
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231 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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April 11, 2025
I am bumping up this review because I have more followers then I did in 2016 (when I wrote the review). Read my tags. Betty Neels wrote over 130 romances before she passed away. If you are looking for something to take your mind off all the mess that is going on in the world today, give this story a try.
When not to read a romance by Betty Neels.
1. If you are hungry.
2. If it is a cold, rainy day.
3. If you haven’t gone shopping for clothes for yourself in over a year.
4. If you don’t like old-fashion romances: light kisses only or a buss on the cheek.
5. If you had a recent fight with your spouse, boyfriend or significant other.
6. If you have an aversion to the medical field.
7. If you can’t tolerate dominant men who have communication issues.
8. If you are a staunch women’s rights feminist.
Betty Neels’ romances are simple comfort reads. They are in no way a period piece. When they were written in the 1970s, 80s or 90s, most women of that era were not like her heroines. It is better to think of the 1950s or early 1960s. When women wore aprons, baked bread, served cocktails, drank instant coffee –Sanka or Nescafe- or maybe brewed Folgers (no flavored lattes, iced frappuccinos, cappuccinos, macchiatos, mochas, espressos and so forth…) or had a cuppa’ tea. Lemon, sugar, one lump or two and cream; whatever your pleasure.
~~~~~
THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE’s heroine, Claribel, had more of a backbone than was typically found in Mrs. Neels’ romances. And she was beautiful: a ‘looker’, not mousy, hum-drum or frumpy. She was twenty-eight years old, single, full-sized and had no problem expressing her opinion.
Then there was Marc with ‘his dark hair sprinkled with gray, an aggressive nose, a firm thin mouth and dark eyes’. And tall. Claribel, who was above average in height, had to look up at him. He was thirty-five years old, a bachelor and a Dutch physician but then you knew that, didn’t you?
It was a cold, rainy day in March. Marc, who was driving his Rolls-Royce (or was it a Jag or Porche, no, no, no, it was a Rolls), witnessed Claribel hurt her foot while attempting to get on a bus to go home from work. From the get-go, he had a plan. His mission was to win over this ‘magnificently built’ and lovely lady. He could be charming; he was a smooth operator but he also was honest to a fault and it got him in trouble with Claribel more than once.
”Are you hurt? I saw what happened. Get into the car, I’ll drive you home.”
“Thank you; I prefer to go by bus.”
“Don’t be a fool, young woman, I’ve no intention of kidnapping you. Besides, you look hefty enough to take care of yourself. Don’t keep me waiting, I have an appointment.”
Gee, Marc, you don’t say, and was that suppose to be a pick-up line? Because, IMHO, you started out on the wrong foot.
Still smarting from having her Junoesque and charming person referred to as hefty, the girl took his proffered arm and allowed herself to settled beside him. “Where to?”
Claribel was more of a trusting soul than me. She gave him her address and they went on their way. When they arrived, he opened her door and offered his hand.
”Thank you. You were most kind. I hope you are not late for your appointment.”
“What is your name?”
“Claribel Brown. What’s yours?”
“Marc van Borsele. And now that we are introduced, I will come in with you and see to your foot.”
“You’re a doctor?”
“Yes.”
“Very well, though I’m perfectly able…”
“Let us waste no more time in polite chat. Be good enough to take off your tights or whatever and let me see that foot. I can spare a few minutes.”
Sometimes your soul just needs a little tilted love.
When not to read a romance by Betty Neels.
1. If you are hungry.
2. If it is a cold, rainy day.
3. If you haven’t gone shopping for clothes for yourself in over a year.
4. If you don’t like old-fashion romances: light kisses only or a buss on the cheek.
5. If you had a recent fight with your spouse, boyfriend or significant other.
6. If you have an aversion to the medical field.
7. If you can’t tolerate dominant men who have communication issues.
8. If you are a staunch women’s rights feminist.
Betty Neels’ romances are simple comfort reads. They are in no way a period piece. When they were written in the 1970s, 80s or 90s, most women of that era were not like her heroines. It is better to think of the 1950s or early 1960s. When women wore aprons, baked bread, served cocktails, drank instant coffee –Sanka or Nescafe- or maybe brewed Folgers (no flavored lattes, iced frappuccinos, cappuccinos, macchiatos, mochas, espressos and so forth…) or had a cuppa’ tea. Lemon, sugar, one lump or two and cream; whatever your pleasure.
~~~~~
THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE’s heroine, Claribel, had more of a backbone than was typically found in Mrs. Neels’ romances. And she was beautiful: a ‘looker’, not mousy, hum-drum or frumpy. She was twenty-eight years old, single, full-sized and had no problem expressing her opinion.
Then there was Marc with ‘his dark hair sprinkled with gray, an aggressive nose, a firm thin mouth and dark eyes’. And tall. Claribel, who was above average in height, had to look up at him. He was thirty-five years old, a bachelor and a Dutch physician but then you knew that, didn’t you?
It was a cold, rainy day in March. Marc, who was driving his Rolls-Royce (or was it a Jag or Porche, no, no, no, it was a Rolls), witnessed Claribel hurt her foot while attempting to get on a bus to go home from work. From the get-go, he had a plan. His mission was to win over this ‘magnificently built’ and lovely lady. He could be charming; he was a smooth operator but he also was honest to a fault and it got him in trouble with Claribel more than once.
”Are you hurt? I saw what happened. Get into the car, I’ll drive you home.”
“Thank you; I prefer to go by bus.”
“Don’t be a fool, young woman, I’ve no intention of kidnapping you. Besides, you look hefty enough to take care of yourself. Don’t keep me waiting, I have an appointment.”
Gee, Marc, you don’t say, and was that suppose to be a pick-up line? Because, IMHO, you started out on the wrong foot.
Still smarting from having her Junoesque and charming person referred to as hefty, the girl took his proffered arm and allowed herself to settled beside him. “Where to?”
Claribel was more of a trusting soul than me. She gave him her address and they went on their way. When they arrived, he opened her door and offered his hand.
”Thank you. You were most kind. I hope you are not late for your appointment.”
“What is your name?”
“Claribel Brown. What’s yours?”
“Marc van Borsele. And now that we are introduced, I will come in with you and see to your foot.”
“You’re a doctor?”
“Yes.”
“Very well, though I’m perfectly able…”
“Let us waste no more time in polite chat. Be good enough to take off your tights or whatever and let me see that foot. I can spare a few minutes.”
Sometimes your soul just needs a little tilted love.
March 20, 2021
Ok, this is another BN where my opinion has flipped from my original read.
The hero still remains "top notch" in my book. This time around, the heroine grated on my nerves. But I did like that she was one of BN's rarer beauties with a Junoesque figure, flowing hair and lovely eyes. So gratifying.
I think I will start considering my pandemic pounds as "Junoesque" even though I barely reach 5.4. :-)
I won't drop the rating, but right now this is not one of my BN favorites. My original review is below.
__________________________
This one goes into my all time favorite Betty bucket.
The hero falls hard and fast and as a reader you are not confused about his motives. He is out to get the "gel" and it's all about watching him "win" her love. He was one smoooooth operator. He was also a master manipulator and our poor heroine never stood a chance. But she does go down swinging. Though, Mr Smooth is cool, sophisticated and very alpha, he isn't the obnoxious sort. In fact, he is quite caring, kind and just plain delicious.
The heroine was not one of my favorites by Betty, but I really enjoyed watching her try to avoid the traps Marc set out for her. There were points in the story where I actually scratched my head and wondered why she was fighting so hard. Personally, I would have been all over Marc, but then again we wouldn't have a story. I think Betty did a great job in portraying that her reservations were mostly driven by her fear of falling in love with a man she felt was out of reach. So I looked past some of her TSTL moments and just went with the flow.
I loved this one and I highly recommend.
The hero still remains "top notch" in my book. This time around, the heroine grated on my nerves. But I did like that she was one of BN's rarer beauties with a Junoesque figure, flowing hair and lovely eyes. So gratifying.
I think I will start considering my pandemic pounds as "Junoesque" even though I barely reach 5.4. :-)
I won't drop the rating, but right now this is not one of my BN favorites. My original review is below.
__________________________
This one goes into my all time favorite Betty bucket.
The hero falls hard and fast and as a reader you are not confused about his motives. He is out to get the "gel" and it's all about watching him "win" her love. He was one smoooooth operator. He was also a master manipulator and our poor heroine never stood a chance. But she does go down swinging. Though, Mr Smooth is cool, sophisticated and very alpha, he isn't the obnoxious sort. In fact, he is quite caring, kind and just plain delicious.
The heroine was not one of my favorites by Betty, but I really enjoyed watching her try to avoid the traps Marc set out for her. There were points in the story where I actually scratched my head and wondered why she was fighting so hard. Personally, I would have been all over Marc, but then again we wouldn't have a story. I think Betty did a great job in portraying that her reservations were mostly driven by her fear of falling in love with a man she felt was out of reach. So I looked past some of her TSTL moments and just went with the flow.
I loved this one and I highly recommend.
August 14, 2019
Claribel Brown, tired after a long day as a physiotherapist at a London hospital, is waiting for a bus home in the rain. The people in the queue push and shove and her foot is trodden on by an elderly man. A Rolls Royce pulls up and the handsome driver offers her a lift. Like any sensible girl, she refuses, but he insists. He is, of course, an RDD, and so it’s safe to go with him, Claribel!
This is how she meets Marc van Borsele, a man who knows what he wants – beautiful Claribel with her golden hair and green eyes – and how to get it. He visits her flat so often that she soon learns the sound of his thump on the door, although it takes her much longer to remember to put the chain on before she opens it.
Claribel has two cats, Enoch and Toots, who share her flat in town and also go with her when she visits her loving family in the country. As for Marc – well, she doesn’t like him, then she does, then she’s not sure. It makes no difference to Marc as he has the confidence to court her anyway. And then a situation arises that gives him the perfect excuse to take their relationship to the next (fake) level.
Marc is driving Claribel to her home when they come upon a car wreck. One of the men involved is dead and his companion, a pretty young woman, is not injured but desperately wants to get to Bath as quickly as possible. Marc offers to drive her and does. However, she is a girl with an eye to the main chance and she sees Marc as a ticket to the good life. So, even though he makes it clear to her he is not interested and is otherwise engaged, she stalks him.
Marc lays this all out to Claribel and proposes – no, just wait – proposes a FAKE engagement just to convince Irma that he isn’t available. Claribel reluctantly agrees, although not until after Marc has already, um, put his plan into action. When he decides that Claribel should go to Friesland with him to put the nail in the coffin, so to speak, she decides that is asking too much and she refuses to go, using work as the excuse.
Well, we all know how TGB gets rid of such flimsy excuses! Bring on the fires, earthquakes, and bombs – a bomb in this case. Claribel actually sees a man come into the physio department and leave a plastic bag between some chairs and prudently reports it to a porter. Marc comes running at top speed, just in time to crash down onto Claribel and her elderly patient as the bomb explodes. And just like that, Claribel no longer has a job to get her out of going with Marc.
Contrary to her worries, Marc’s grandmother is a delightful old lady and they get on like a house afire. Don’t worry – there are no more disasters. True, Irma is on the ferry to Holland but that is the last they and we see of her. Granny immediately knows which way the wind blows. At last, Claribel has her DR while she is out sightseeing and unexpectedly runs into Marc (contrived on his part, of course). She immediately begins plotting to take a job in New Zealand or Australia – Marc asks if it is necessary to run so far away.
One of the sights that is a must-see is the Oldehove tower, the leaning tower of Leeuwarden. It remains unfinished and never reached its intended height of 120 meters; nevertheless, it is still too high for Claribel, who at the summit, realizes that she is acrophobic. Then the elevator has been shut down and the only way to the ground is an ancient winding stone staircase. She presses herself against the wall and begins reciting poetry in an effort to keep calm.
Marc, meanwhile, has gone to his grandmother’s and found Claribel absent; Granny is worried, too, and tells Marc where she had gone. She tells him she will put back dinner half an hour: “. . .that will give you plenty of time.’ And at his raised eyebrows, ‘To propose, dear.’”
Marc hotfoots it to the tower and hears her quoting from Merlin and Vivien by Tennyson – the bit about the “little rift within the lute.” She bursts into tears when she sees him. He tells her they will be married and she will never have to go any higher than the pepperpot towers of his castle as long as she lives.
Then he tells her that he has loved her from first sight and has only been waiting for her to discover she loved him, too. He quotes a bit of Tennyson back to her, too: “Where Claribel low-lieth, the breezes pause and die.” But, he says, he is not a breeze and is very much alive and in love with her. Kisses! A boy whistles rudely, but to Claribel, he could have been a string orchestra playing ‘Moonlight and Roses.’
I adored this book! I love Marc, who is so straight-forward. I love Claribel because she tries to be sensible but is so clearly attracted to him that she just can’t help herself.
This is how she meets Marc van Borsele, a man who knows what he wants – beautiful Claribel with her golden hair and green eyes – and how to get it. He visits her flat so often that she soon learns the sound of his thump on the door, although it takes her much longer to remember to put the chain on before she opens it.
Claribel has two cats, Enoch and Toots, who share her flat in town and also go with her when she visits her loving family in the country. As for Marc – well, she doesn’t like him, then she does, then she’s not sure. It makes no difference to Marc as he has the confidence to court her anyway. And then a situation arises that gives him the perfect excuse to take their relationship to the next (fake) level.
Marc is driving Claribel to her home when they come upon a car wreck. One of the men involved is dead and his companion, a pretty young woman, is not injured but desperately wants to get to Bath as quickly as possible. Marc offers to drive her and does. However, she is a girl with an eye to the main chance and she sees Marc as a ticket to the good life. So, even though he makes it clear to her he is not interested and is otherwise engaged, she stalks him.
Marc lays this all out to Claribel and proposes – no, just wait – proposes a FAKE engagement just to convince Irma that he isn’t available. Claribel reluctantly agrees, although not until after Marc has already, um, put his plan into action. When he decides that Claribel should go to Friesland with him to put the nail in the coffin, so to speak, she decides that is asking too much and she refuses to go, using work as the excuse.
Well, we all know how TGB gets rid of such flimsy excuses! Bring on the fires, earthquakes, and bombs – a bomb in this case. Claribel actually sees a man come into the physio department and leave a plastic bag between some chairs and prudently reports it to a porter. Marc comes running at top speed, just in time to crash down onto Claribel and her elderly patient as the bomb explodes. And just like that, Claribel no longer has a job to get her out of going with Marc.
Contrary to her worries, Marc’s grandmother is a delightful old lady and they get on like a house afire. Don’t worry – there are no more disasters. True, Irma is on the ferry to Holland but that is the last they and we see of her. Granny immediately knows which way the wind blows. At last, Claribel has her DR while she is out sightseeing and unexpectedly runs into Marc (contrived on his part, of course). She immediately begins plotting to take a job in New Zealand or Australia – Marc asks if it is necessary to run so far away.
One of the sights that is a must-see is the Oldehove tower, the leaning tower of Leeuwarden. It remains unfinished and never reached its intended height of 120 meters; nevertheless, it is still too high for Claribel, who at the summit, realizes that she is acrophobic. Then the elevator has been shut down and the only way to the ground is an ancient winding stone staircase. She presses herself against the wall and begins reciting poetry in an effort to keep calm.
Marc, meanwhile, has gone to his grandmother’s and found Claribel absent; Granny is worried, too, and tells Marc where she had gone. She tells him she will put back dinner half an hour: “. . .that will give you plenty of time.’ And at his raised eyebrows, ‘To propose, dear.’”
Marc hotfoots it to the tower and hears her quoting from Merlin and Vivien by Tennyson – the bit about the “little rift within the lute.” She bursts into tears when she sees him. He tells her they will be married and she will never have to go any higher than the pepperpot towers of his castle as long as she lives.
Then he tells her that he has loved her from first sight and has only been waiting for her to discover she loved him, too. He quotes a bit of Tennyson back to her, too: “Where Claribel low-lieth, the breezes pause and die.” But, he says, he is not a breeze and is very much alive and in love with her. Kisses! A boy whistles rudely, but to Claribel, he could have been a string orchestra playing ‘Moonlight and Roses.’
I adored this book! I love Marc, who is so straight-forward. I love Claribel because she tries to be sensible but is so clearly attracted to him that she just can’t help herself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2020
So often in Betty’s books, we see the heroine transplanted into the hero’s life of (often literal) baronial splendor--ancestral homes stuffed with Faithful Family Retainers, lofty rooms, and inherited treasures. The luxury our heroines are surrounded by (and to which they, well mannered and sensible, adapt fairly easily) is one of hallmarks of BN’s books, and I definitely love the posh, plush, club-tie world she conjures.
But I’m beginning to think Betty truly excels in the (rare?) instances in which she instead places the hero in the heroine’s world, as in TCoTL (1988) (and, to a slightly lesser extent, in An Ideal Wife, written 10 years later). Our heroines live in humbler domains—from grotty London bedsits to quite comfortable family homes in the country, and usually an RDD may make a fleeting visit or two to the heroine’s home before whisking the heroine off to posher pastures. In TCOTL, though, our RDD spends a LOT of time at the heroine’s semi-basement flat—his distinctive and demanding thump on her door becomes a familiar sound to our cagey heroine. Marc helps her cook, clean, do dishes—he even covers a chair for her. He shows up for coffee at regular intervals. She feeds our hard-working, meal-missing doctor on numerous occasions. Claribel visits his upscale RDD flat, complete with a outspoken, Cockney housekeeper, only a couple of times; most of the time throughout the book he’s at her place (with the nosy neighbors twitching their white net curtains to watch his comings and goings). He becomes a frequent visitor to her home in Wiltshire as well (he has a sister in Bath), too, utterly charming her mother and solicitor father when he drives her home for her weekend visits.
As a result, TCOTL has a warmer and more down-to-earth feel to it. There’s something about a hero and heroine sharing everyday chores, and the hero being comfortable in his own skin in her humbler environs, that is seriously endearing. It fosters an intimacy that is perhaps missing from some of Betty’s books with more rarified settings, in which we never see a truly domesticated side of the hero—at best, we see them reading their post at breakfast while ignoring the heroine or taking tea in a drawing room. There’s something to be said for seeing the hero at ease in the heroine’s world, for a change.
Between his visits to her little flat and the great amount of time they spend together in his car (always an intimacy builder in BN’s books), Marc has plenty of opportunity to put his wily plans into play to woo and win our heroine. And woo her he does—we have scene after scene of him taking her out in London—to the Ritz and Savoy and other posh restaurants for dinner and dancing, to the theatre to see Phantom of the Opera and Starlight Express, and slowly but surely romancing her. Actually dating-like-behavior romancing from a BN novel--not an MoC in place of dating! Radical Betty! Despite his determined pursuit, like most RDDs, he keeps the heroine off balance by playing his cards close, but it’s a nice change to have an obviously (to us) besotted hero in full pursuit, since we’re in on the secret.
Our manipulative Marc is quite set from almost the beginning on winning Claribel, whom he has fallen for almost instantly but who is wary of him and not at all sure that she likes him (or rather, very reluctant to take a chance on liking him, or more, since, typical of RDDs, he does a good job of hiding his own feelings). He’s also infuriating, arrogant, and occasionally patronizing (“I do what I like and I contrive to get my own way,” he tells her—but he's also “soft-hearted and lovable when you get to know me,” hee). So it’s good that Claribel refuses to fold—he really does need taking down a peg, and she’s just the young lady to do it, unselfconsciously gorgeous and self-assured most of the time. Add a stalkeriffic wanna-be OW whom the hero uses to advance his courtship (by inveigling the heroine into a “pretend” relationship that’s anything but); a trip to the hero’s ancestral Dutch home (a little castle with pepperpot towers) to meet his grandmother; and a full-court press from a hero who is expert at getting what he wants with patience and a little guile, and it’s a charming and somewhat different outing from Betty. It takes a long time for the heroine to admit that the confusion and delight she feels is love, so while the ending is a little rushed, the journey to the HEA is a lot of fun.
But I’m beginning to think Betty truly excels in the (rare?) instances in which she instead places the hero in the heroine’s world, as in TCoTL (1988) (and, to a slightly lesser extent, in An Ideal Wife, written 10 years later). Our heroines live in humbler domains—from grotty London bedsits to quite comfortable family homes in the country, and usually an RDD may make a fleeting visit or two to the heroine’s home before whisking the heroine off to posher pastures. In TCOTL, though, our RDD spends a LOT of time at the heroine’s semi-basement flat—his distinctive and demanding thump on her door becomes a familiar sound to our cagey heroine. Marc helps her cook, clean, do dishes—he even covers a chair for her. He shows up for coffee at regular intervals. She feeds our hard-working, meal-missing doctor on numerous occasions. Claribel visits his upscale RDD flat, complete with a outspoken, Cockney housekeeper, only a couple of times; most of the time throughout the book he’s at her place (with the nosy neighbors twitching their white net curtains to watch his comings and goings). He becomes a frequent visitor to her home in Wiltshire as well (he has a sister in Bath), too, utterly charming her mother and solicitor father when he drives her home for her weekend visits.
As a result, TCOTL has a warmer and more down-to-earth feel to it. There’s something about a hero and heroine sharing everyday chores, and the hero being comfortable in his own skin in her humbler environs, that is seriously endearing. It fosters an intimacy that is perhaps missing from some of Betty’s books with more rarified settings, in which we never see a truly domesticated side of the hero—at best, we see them reading their post at breakfast while ignoring the heroine or taking tea in a drawing room. There’s something to be said for seeing the hero at ease in the heroine’s world, for a change.
Between his visits to her little flat and the great amount of time they spend together in his car (always an intimacy builder in BN’s books), Marc has plenty of opportunity to put his wily plans into play to woo and win our heroine. And woo her he does—we have scene after scene of him taking her out in London—to the Ritz and Savoy and other posh restaurants for dinner and dancing, to the theatre to see Phantom of the Opera and Starlight Express, and slowly but surely romancing her. Actually dating-like-behavior romancing from a BN novel--not an MoC in place of dating! Radical Betty! Despite his determined pursuit, like most RDDs, he keeps the heroine off balance by playing his cards close, but it’s a nice change to have an obviously (to us) besotted hero in full pursuit, since we’re in on the secret.
Our manipulative Marc is quite set from almost the beginning on winning Claribel, whom he has fallen for almost instantly but who is wary of him and not at all sure that she likes him (or rather, very reluctant to take a chance on liking him, or more, since, typical of RDDs, he does a good job of hiding his own feelings). He’s also infuriating, arrogant, and occasionally patronizing (“I do what I like and I contrive to get my own way,” he tells her—but he's also “soft-hearted and lovable when you get to know me,” hee). So it’s good that Claribel refuses to fold—he really does need taking down a peg, and she’s just the young lady to do it, unselfconsciously gorgeous and self-assured most of the time. Add a stalkeriffic wanna-be OW whom the hero uses to advance his courtship (by inveigling the heroine into a “pretend” relationship that’s anything but); a trip to the hero’s ancestral Dutch home (a little castle with pepperpot towers) to meet his grandmother; and a full-court press from a hero who is expert at getting what he wants with patience and a little guile, and it’s a charming and somewhat different outing from Betty. It takes a long time for the heroine to admit that the confusion and delight she feels is love, so while the ending is a little rushed, the journey to the HEA is a lot of fun.
March 23, 2021
2.5 stars
Right from the start Claribel and Marc rubbed each other the wrong way. That's because they wanted to rub each other in other ways, if you know what I mean. But unfortunately misunderstandings happened: she thought he's arrogant and terse, he thought she didn't like him (she did, but she didn't want to), making him more terse, which made her like him less, which made him more terse which.... It's a cycle. Claribel also believed Marc was out of her league even though it was obvious he was smitten. Why else would he drop by unannounced all the time? Clueless Caribel thought Marc just wanted to drink her coffee.
Neels's writing could delight, but it was too uneven in its execution. The beginning held so much promise! I laughed out loud a few times, and then later I was so bored I started skimming. Tons of dry minutiae covering the medical drama, what the characters were eating and drinking, and their travels riddled the narrative, adding little to the already simple plot. This resulted in a mild romance that never heated up to exciting levels. Even the declaration of love and climax of the story felt tame.
I so wanted to be heads over Neels in love with this book (pun intended), but in this case the course of true love ran too bland for me.
Right from the start Claribel and Marc rubbed each other the wrong way. That's because they wanted to rub each other in other ways, if you know what I mean. But unfortunately misunderstandings happened: she thought he's arrogant and terse, he thought she didn't like him (she did, but she didn't want to), making him more terse, which made her like him less, which made him more terse which.... It's a cycle. Claribel also believed Marc was out of her league even though it was obvious he was smitten. Why else would he drop by unannounced all the time? Clueless Caribel thought Marc just wanted to drink her coffee.
Neels's writing could delight, but it was too uneven in its execution. The beginning held so much promise! I laughed out loud a few times, and then later I was so bored I started skimming. Tons of dry minutiae covering the medical drama, what the characters were eating and drinking, and their travels riddled the narrative, adding little to the already simple plot. This resulted in a mild romance that never heated up to exciting levels. Even the declaration of love and climax of the story felt tame.
I so wanted to be heads over Neels in love with this book (pun intended), but in this case the course of true love ran too bland for me.
May 2, 2016
3.5 stars.
It's important to take into consideration when the book was written. Thus, you can tolerate somethings and some scenes make a sense too.
Firstly, I want to thank you Betty Neels, however she's not alive anymore, for decided to write and created enjoyable stories for liadies reading romantic stuff like us.
I don't know what should I tell about the book. What I remember is that they always ate or drunk somethings, they had good time together, even so much years ago London had a traffic problem. :)
Also, of course Marc, with his dominant character and hidden agenda towards heroine.
It was a sweet and clean romance. It was nice to read old times that was written by a author who lived that time.
It's important to take into consideration when the book was written. Thus, you can tolerate somethings and some scenes make a sense too.
Firstly, I want to thank you Betty Neels, however she's not alive anymore, for decided to write and created enjoyable stories for liadies reading romantic stuff like us.
I don't know what should I tell about the book. What I remember is that they always ate or drunk somethings, they had good time together, even so much years ago London had a traffic problem. :)
Also, of course Marc, with his dominant character and hidden agenda towards heroine.
It was a sweet and clean romance. It was nice to read old times that was written by a author who lived that time.
April 10, 2015
He is one manipulative, smart character. She is like a deer caught by the headlight and doesn't know how to run. I even wondered how much of Irma's attention and pursuit was engineered by the good old doctor. She knew where to find them at any time, any where... very convenient. What made me really like this story was the bombing attack that took place at the hospital and it's aftermath.
February 19, 2024
I still loved this one on a second read. Claribel is delightful obtuse which keeps the plot moving along. This one has a great ending too!
November 5, 2024
Fluffy, but fluff of the highest caliber. This one hit just right for me and I'd recommend it to other BN readers! Although I did have to cackle at the EXTREMELY random and... explosive... deus ex machina used to force our heroine over to Holland.
June 22, 2016
3.5 stars.
Esta historia ha sido como un agradable paseo. Ha sido lenta, mundana, prácticamente contada a modo de diario y entretenida aunque no vigorizante.
Si estás interesado/a en leerla deberías echarle un vistazo a la reseña de Linda , y seguir sus consejos, porque los protagonistas están todo el tiempo comiendo, de compras o trabajando en el hospital y además el protagonista es, por decirlo suavemente, un hombre de su tiempo: poco hablador y sabedor de tus necesidades antes que tú misma…la pobre Claribel no tenía la más mínima oportunidad…
El argumento es simple hasta sus límites, las cosas que pasan muy convenientes para el desarrollo del mismo, Claribel dócil y en la inopia y Marc hubiese necesitado un par de contestaciones bien dadas, IMO, pero nada de esto me ha chocado ni me ha impedido disfrutar de la historia…quizás porque estaba sobre aviso…
No se va a convertir en mi autora favorita pero sirve como confort read.
3.5 stars.
This story has been like a pleasant walk. It has been slow, mundane, almost narrated like a journal and entertaining but not invigorating.
If you are interested in reading it you should take a look to Linda´s review , and follow her advice, because the MC´s are eating, shopping or working at the hospital all the time, and above all, the hero is, to put it mildly, a man of his time: frugal with his words and aware of your needs better than yourself... poor Claribel did not have the slightest chance...
The plot is simple to a fault and the things that happens are very suitable for the sake of it. Docile Claribel is always in the dark and Marc would have required a couple of well deserved replies, IMO, but none of this has shocked me nor prevented me to enjoy the story... maybe because I was forewarned...
She (Ms. Neels) will not become my favorite author but the story works as a comfort read.
Esta historia ha sido como un agradable paseo. Ha sido lenta, mundana, prácticamente contada a modo de diario y entretenida aunque no vigorizante.
Si estás interesado/a en leerla deberías echarle un vistazo a la reseña de Linda , y seguir sus consejos, porque los protagonistas están todo el tiempo comiendo, de compras o trabajando en el hospital y además el protagonista es, por decirlo suavemente, un hombre de su tiempo: poco hablador y sabedor de tus necesidades antes que tú misma…la pobre Claribel no tenía la más mínima oportunidad…
El argumento es simple hasta sus límites, las cosas que pasan muy convenientes para el desarrollo del mismo, Claribel dócil y en la inopia y Marc hubiese necesitado un par de contestaciones bien dadas, IMO, pero nada de esto me ha chocado ni me ha impedido disfrutar de la historia…quizás porque estaba sobre aviso…
No se va a convertir en mi autora favorita pero sirve como confort read.
3.5 stars.
This story has been like a pleasant walk. It has been slow, mundane, almost narrated like a journal and entertaining but not invigorating.
If you are interested in reading it you should take a look to Linda´s review , and follow her advice, because the MC´s are eating, shopping or working at the hospital all the time, and above all, the hero is, to put it mildly, a man of his time: frugal with his words and aware of your needs better than yourself... poor Claribel did not have the slightest chance...
The plot is simple to a fault and the things that happens are very suitable for the sake of it. Docile Claribel is always in the dark and Marc would have required a couple of well deserved replies, IMO, but none of this has shocked me nor prevented me to enjoy the story... maybe because I was forewarned...
She (Ms. Neels) will not become my favorite author but the story works as a comfort read.
November 13, 2019
Betty Neels has the most delightful books, once you start, you can't get enough!
October 8, 2010
This was one of my all time favorite Betty Neel's books. I loved the fact that the heroine is self reliant, hardworking and modest. The really nice part about the book was watching the hero - who loves Claribel from the start - "chase" after her waiting patiently for her to realize what a great catch he is. It is a very, very heartwarming and sweet story.
December 15, 2013
Briefly, part of this is from another review, but will explain my bias a little. [Ok, before I go into my review, I feel I have to be 100% honest with you. I am a huge - make that HUGE Betty Neels fan. I discovered her when I was 10 or 11 years old. Over the years, I have collected every Betty Neels novel ever in print. Even special ordering them all the way from England because I was having difficulty finding them over here in the States.]
OVERALL: 4 1/2 STARS
Story/Plot: 5 - Having read any number of Betty Neels books, sometimes I remember others more clearly than others. There are times I go looking for a specific book and cannot find it because although I remember the book, I don't remember the title. I find this deeply frustrating especially when I have so many books I have to go through just to find one specific book.
This being said, I want to help others like me out there, who are fans of Betty Neels or who are looking for a specific title, but feel helpless lost in the sea of her amazing amount of books. So, I am going to post a brief spoiler at the beginning of her books here in this section in the hopes I can help you find that one book you must read again.
SPOILER COMMENT: First off, the blurb on the book is seriously misleading. Now to the spoiler, our heroine Claribel, who is a physiotherapist rather than a nurse, meets our hero, handsome Dutch Orthopedic Surgeon Marc van Borsele after she has been stepped on, pushed and eventually missing the bus she is waiting for, giving her a ride home and checking her foot out. Our hero also chastises our heroine from accepting a ride from strangers as well as frequently opening her door without the chain on. I will NOT list my favorite part of the book, because if you have not read it, I really don't want to ruin it for you, but it happens near the end of the book ;D Of course, much more happens, but I don't want to spoil it too much for you.
Those of ya'll that are Betty Neels fans know the general premise is a rich handsome doctor falls for a nurse (sometimes she is not beautiful, she might be under appreciated or from a home of privilege but has recently fallen on hard times).
Those of you who are not Betty Neels fans, I highly recommend her works especially if you like Jane Austen or Georgette Heyer. Her romances are usually light, sweet and quick reads (usually no more than 9 chapters).
Highly enjoyable any volume you pick up.
Re-read Value: 5 - High. I always re-read Betty Neels.
Continue Series: - Not applicable unless you want mention that I read all Betty Neels titles.
Characters: 5 - Again, there isn't a hero or heroine I do not like in a Betty Neels title. She always wrote such sweet endearing characters.
Cover: 3 - 50/50. To be honest, if you didn't know who Betty Neels was when you picked up this cover, you might not know it was a romance from the look of it. But prior to her passing and when she did pass, there were a number of her books that were reissued with these more artsy covers. I also have the original cover this was released in paperback, which does say romance.
Genre Fulfillment: 5 - Romance, check.
Personal Involvement: 4 - I am always re-reading Betty Neels, although this might not be a personal favorite, I do highly enjoy it.
OVERALL: 4 1/2 STARS
Story/Plot: 5 - Having read any number of Betty Neels books, sometimes I remember others more clearly than others. There are times I go looking for a specific book and cannot find it because although I remember the book, I don't remember the title. I find this deeply frustrating especially when I have so many books I have to go through just to find one specific book.
This being said, I want to help others like me out there, who are fans of Betty Neels or who are looking for a specific title, but feel helpless lost in the sea of her amazing amount of books. So, I am going to post a brief spoiler at the beginning of her books here in this section in the hopes I can help you find that one book you must read again.
SPOILER COMMENT: First off, the blurb on the book is seriously misleading. Now to the spoiler, our heroine Claribel, who is a physiotherapist rather than a nurse, meets our hero, handsome Dutch Orthopedic Surgeon Marc van Borsele after she has been stepped on, pushed and eventually missing the bus she is waiting for, giving her a ride home and checking her foot out. Our hero also chastises our heroine from accepting a ride from strangers as well as frequently opening her door without the chain on. I will NOT list my favorite part of the book, because if you have not read it, I really don't want to ruin it for you, but it happens near the end of the book ;D Of course, much more happens, but I don't want to spoil it too much for you.
Those of ya'll that are Betty Neels fans know the general premise is a rich handsome doctor falls for a nurse (sometimes she is not beautiful, she might be under appreciated or from a home of privilege but has recently fallen on hard times).
Those of you who are not Betty Neels fans, I highly recommend her works especially if you like Jane Austen or Georgette Heyer. Her romances are usually light, sweet and quick reads (usually no more than 9 chapters).
Highly enjoyable any volume you pick up.
Re-read Value: 5 - High. I always re-read Betty Neels.
Continue Series: - Not applicable unless you want mention that I read all Betty Neels titles.
Characters: 5 - Again, there isn't a hero or heroine I do not like in a Betty Neels title. She always wrote such sweet endearing characters.
Cover: 3 - 50/50. To be honest, if you didn't know who Betty Neels was when you picked up this cover, you might not know it was a romance from the look of it. But prior to her passing and when she did pass, there were a number of her books that were reissued with these more artsy covers. I also have the original cover this was released in paperback, which does say romance.
Genre Fulfillment: 5 - Romance, check.
Personal Involvement: 4 - I am always re-reading Betty Neels, although this might not be a personal favorite, I do highly enjoy it.
May 7, 2021
This is one of my favorite Neels books. It has everything I like in her books - a strong, capable heroine with a supportive family; a hero who's genuinely nice; some humor in their relationship; and descriptions of travel, lovely homes, gardens, clothes and food. There's also a decent plot, for those who want such a thing. lol
I totally enjoyed reading this, to the point that someone in the table across from me at the restaurant commented, "It must be a good book." I agreed - indeed it is.
NB - If you enjoy Neel's books join the conversation at the GR group Betty Neels Junkies. See you there!
I totally enjoyed reading this, to the point that someone in the table across from me at the restaurant commented, "It must be a good book." I agreed - indeed it is.
NB - If you enjoy Neel's books join the conversation at the GR group Betty Neels Junkies. See you there!
February 24, 2023
The hero of the story is likable from the very beginning and quite funny. I knock off 0.0005 of a star for the dumb and unnecessary deception about 75% into the story, but otherwise the physical therapist spunky lovely British girl and the orthopedic surgeon confident humorous Dutch Baron are 😍. Many lashings of whipped cream (per Betty fandom ratings)!!
July 9, 2018
Such a sweet story. The usual Betty Neels trope, except Claribel is one of the beautiful heroines. It takes her some time to realise she is in love with the Hero, Marc, but he is good at playing the waiting game.
April 11, 2019
This is one of Betty Neels' best romance novels because the characters and their growing love story feel real. Neels wrote romances where we can feel along with the characters, and none of them have dirt or vulgar language.
Neels tells the story from the girl's point of view, and gives both the heroine and her rich Dutch doctor personalities. The settings are excellent and the novel flows very well. She wrote this novel in 1988, when she had honed her skills and developed her own style.
Another thing I enjoyed was that Claribel is not a Cinderella type. She is self-sufficient and attractive and has a loving family; she lives in London and works as a physical therapist. She is attracted to Marc but doesn't allow him to swallow her up and she makes it clear that she is not a timid little thing he can dominate. In fact she doesn't realize how she feels about him until the novel's end, in part because she is too busy pushing him off and not allowing him to boss her around.
Please see my full review here: https://www.morebooksthantime.com/the...
Neels tells the story from the girl's point of view, and gives both the heroine and her rich Dutch doctor personalities. The settings are excellent and the novel flows very well. She wrote this novel in 1988, when she had honed her skills and developed her own style.
Another thing I enjoyed was that Claribel is not a Cinderella type. She is self-sufficient and attractive and has a loving family; she lives in London and works as a physical therapist. She is attracted to Marc but doesn't allow him to swallow her up and she makes it clear that she is not a timid little thing he can dominate. In fact she doesn't realize how she feels about him until the novel's end, in part because she is too busy pushing him off and not allowing him to boss her around.
Please see my full review here: https://www.morebooksthantime.com/the...
January 27, 2014
This is one of the later stories by this author. The heroine Claribel is a Physiotherapist. As time passed Betty wrote less hospital based romances, possibly because so much had changed since her own retirement from nursing. Marc van Borsele is one of our typical Dutch heroes with dark hair with a sprinkling of grey.
They are already friends, though Claribel is resistant, when they assist at an accident and Irma is introduced into their lives. Irma takes a shine to Marc and begins stalking him so he tells her he is engaged and produces Claribel as his fiancée. She is still resistant but Marc manoeuvres her into each situation until he gets what he wants. As expected.
They are already friends, though Claribel is resistant, when they assist at an accident and Irma is introduced into their lives. Irma takes a shine to Marc and begins stalking him so he tells her he is engaged and produces Claribel as his fiancée. She is still resistant but Marc manoeuvres her into each situation until he gets what he wants. As expected.
February 29, 2016
Oh, this is one pushy hero. He wants the girl, he goes after what he wants with single minded purpose - cajoling, flirting, manipulating the girl mercilessly. She is a just a timid physiotherapist and he is of course a hot shot doctor - like in any Betty Neels story. She stands no chance of resisting him.
I wonder if she would have fallen for him if dint bull doze his way into her life like this. Anyway, the ends justify the means, he gets her. There is an inconsequential other woman and a small fake fiancee track - all parts of the heroes' scheming mind.
What can I say - looking at it this way - its rather flattering to have a guy fighting for you so ruthlessly. So lucky girl !!
I wonder if she would have fallen for him if dint bull doze his way into her life like this. Anyway, the ends justify the means, he gets her. There is an inconsequential other woman and a small fake fiancee track - all parts of the heroes' scheming mind.
What can I say - looking at it this way - its rather flattering to have a guy fighting for you so ruthlessly. So lucky girl !!
March 18, 2017
A classic!
The very first romance I ever read was written by Betty Neels.....and I was in the 7th grade. Forty some years later I can still find the same enjoyment.
The very first romance I ever read was written by Betty Neels.....and I was in the 7th grade. Forty some years later I can still find the same enjoyment.
Read
September 6, 2020Unlike other plain heroines in BN books. She was a beautiful physiologist who had many offers of dates and marriage proposals. She had loving parents and a as well educated younger brother. She might live in tiny apartment in London but she had a comfortable life at home with a busy lawyer father. He was a Baron with a castle, money and self made professional success. He wooed her with excellent food and wine. I like this story!
February 23, 2023
Oh what a delightful read! A 1987 book, I noticed Betty Neels' heroines in her earlier books were pretty. Her later heroines in the 90s were outright plain, but always with beautiful eyes haha!
Claribel was the beautiful physiotherapist Marc met on the streets. The way he blurted out she's the most beautiful woman he'd seen was so funny and bizarre! After that first memorable meeting, he appeared whenever he's needed. That bomb incident brought out the full heroism in him. Only he injured her with his full body weight haha! Fifteen stones to be exact! 95kg!
I love all their snatched moments, him just dropping by her little house for food and drinks. Her maternal instincts to feed him was so sweet. Her visits home to her family were always great reads. The way he would admonish her to not open door to strangers without a chain on was cute too hehe.
The poor attempt on his part to use the fake engagement to his ends was so funny! Claribel was like ??? But she still helped him, rising to the occasion. Her snarky replies to the crazy Irma was hilarious especially on the phone!
Darn it I wish we readers had gone on a tour with Claribel around his castle!
As usual our hero had the loveliest family, friends and staff. Pets too! Haha!
I know there's no sexy times in BN books but I really wish they could have spent more time together in Holland and we get to see more sweet romance between them. As it was Marc always had to play it cool s as not to frighten Claribel off. Her bro was insightful indeed!
I want to reread right away!
3 Jan 2018: I reread the book right away! He said he'd dry her hair, and he did! Aww...
Claribel was the beautiful physiotherapist Marc met on the streets. The way he blurted out she's the most beautiful woman he'd seen was so funny and bizarre! After that first memorable meeting, he appeared whenever he's needed. That bomb incident brought out the full heroism in him. Only he injured her with his full body weight haha! Fifteen stones to be exact! 95kg!
I love all their snatched moments, him just dropping by her little house for food and drinks. Her maternal instincts to feed him was so sweet. Her visits home to her family were always great reads. The way he would admonish her to not open door to strangers without a chain on was cute too hehe.
The poor attempt on his part to use the fake engagement to his ends was so funny! Claribel was like ??? But she still helped him, rising to the occasion. Her snarky replies to the crazy Irma was hilarious especially on the phone!
Darn it I wish we readers had gone on a tour with Claribel around his castle!
As usual our hero had the loveliest family, friends and staff. Pets too! Haha!
I know there's no sexy times in BN books but I really wish they could have spent more time together in Holland and we get to see more sweet romance between them. As it was Marc always had to play it cool s as not to frighten Claribel off. Her bro was insightful indeed!
I want to reread right away!
3 Jan 2018: I reread the book right away! He said he'd dry her hair, and he did! Aww...
October 27, 2013
Back cover blurb:
She didn't know the rules of engagement
Getting engaged to Marc van Borsele was the last thing Claribel wanted. Marc was the most annoying and exasperating man she had ever met! But, as the engagement was only pretense and she did owe Marc a favor, Claribel agreed. She soon discovered that make-believe can come true, even if you don't want it to! Before she knew it, Claribel found herself head over heels in love with her pretend fiancé. The course of true love never did run smooth….
(Except for my qualms about the heroine's intelligence and/or powers of perception - and to be fair, that's pretty much always an issue - I always enjoy Betty's "pretend engagement" storylines)
She didn't know the rules of engagement
Getting engaged to Marc van Borsele was the last thing Claribel wanted. Marc was the most annoying and exasperating man she had ever met! But, as the engagement was only pretense and she did owe Marc a favor, Claribel agreed. She soon discovered that make-believe can come true, even if you don't want it to! Before she knew it, Claribel found herself head over heels in love with her pretend fiancé. The course of true love never did run smooth….
(Except for my qualms about the heroine's intelligence and/or powers of perception - and to be fair, that's pretty much always an issue - I always enjoy Betty's "pretend engagement" storylines)
September 22, 2012
My favourite Betty Neels. I read it many years ago, in my teens, and somehow never forgot the opening line about March coming in like a lamb and going out like a lion. I rather liked the Doctor (her heroes are always Dutch Doctors), he was formidable in getting his way, without ever seeming arrogant (a complaint I frequently had about Harlequin heroes back when they were the mainstay of my romance novel reading).
January 23, 2014
Järskude maneeridega Hollandi kirurg hakkab tähelepanu pöörama asjalikule haiglaõele (füsioterapeutile). Claribel on küllusliku figuuri ning pikkusega õnnistatud kaunitar, kel kavaleridest puudust pole. Marc van Borsele on aga segaseid signaale saatev ebaviisakas mees, kelle plaanidega Claribel leiab end ikka ja jälle kaasa minemas.
Huvitav pilguheit olustikku, intrigeeriv süžee, aga mitte eriti inspireeriv armastuslugu.
Huvitav pilguheit olustikku, intrigeeriv süžee, aga mitte eriti inspireeriv armastuslugu.
October 25, 2019
Lovely
I always remember this one. It's was such a gentle love story, Marc was such a darling from the very first encounter, but Claribel took a much longer time in her self discovery. The crazy Irma was such a funny side story and their plot was ever so funny. I have my doubts that the TGB actually wrote this. So many out of character instances that didn't read like her.
I always remember this one. It's was such a gentle love story, Marc was such a darling from the very first encounter, but Claribel took a much longer time in her self discovery. The crazy Irma was such a funny side story and their plot was ever so funny. I have my doubts that the TGB actually wrote this. So many out of character instances that didn't read like her.
January 21, 2012
I would give it a 3.5. I liked it, though it dragged through the middle for me. It was frustrating to figure out what the hero's style of courtship was and if he was even interested in the heroine. Lots of tea making and every day living details to fill the pages.
March 21, 2010
A nice light romance
Read
July 27, 2011Excellent as always!
November 8, 2015
A Good Neels Read
However, the descriptions of the food and Holland are the best parts. "He" is a bit too bosy, while "she" is a bit too unbelievable......
However, the descriptions of the food and Holland are the best parts. "He" is a bit too bosy, while "she" is a bit too unbelievable......
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