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Saturday's Child
Abigail worked hard for a living. And she expected to go on earning her own living for no man had shown signs of wanting to marry her--least of all the mysterious Professor Dominic van Wijkelen. Certainly he admired her nursing skills. He confidently asked her to take on his private cases, which took Abigail from London to Holland then Spain. But all he seemed to feel for her was intense dislike! Did Dominic not trust women? Was she too plain? Whatever the reason, there was little Abigail could do about it.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1972
70 people are currently reading
605 people want to read
About the author
Betty Neels
564 books418 followersEvelyn Jessy "Betty" Neels was born on September 15, 1910 in Devon to a family with firm roots in the civil service. She said she had a blissfully happy childhood and teenage years.(This stood her in good stead later for the tribulations to come with the Second World War). She was sent away to boarding school, and then went on to train as a nurse, gaining her SRN and SCM, that is, State Registered Nurse and State Certificate of Midwifery.
In 1939 she was called up to the Territorial Army Nursing Service, which later became the Queen Alexandra Reserves, and was sent to France with the Casualty Clearing Station. This comprised eight nursing sisters, including Betty, to 100 men! In other circumstances, she thought that might have been quite thrilling! When France was invaded in 1940, all the nursing sisters managed to escape in the charge of an army major, undertaking a lengthy and terrifying journey to Boulogne in an ambulance. They were incredibly fortunate to be put on the last hospital ship to be leaving the port of Boulogne. But Betty's war didn't end there, for she was posted to Scotland, and then on to Northern Ireland, where she met her Dutch husband. He was a seaman aboard a minesweeper, which was bombed. He survived and was sent to the south of Holland to guard the sluices. However, when they had to abandon their post, they were told to escape if they could, and along with a small number of other men, he marched into Belgium. They stole a ship and managed to get it across the Channel to Dover before being transferred to the Atlantic run on the convoys. Sadly he became ill, and that was when he was transferred to hospital in Northern Ireland, where he met Betty. They eventually married, and were blessed with a daughter. They were posted to London, but were bombed out. As with most of the population, they made the best of things.
When the war finally ended, she and her husband were repatriated to Holland. As his family had believed he had died when his ship went down, this was a very emotional homecoming. The small family lived in Holland for 13 years, and Betty resumed her nursing career there. When they decided to return to England, Betty continued her nursing and when she eventually retired she had reached the position of night superintendent.
Betty Neels began writing almost by accident. She had retired from nursing, but her inquiring mind had no intention of vegetating, and her new career was born when she heard a lady in her local library bemoaning the lack of good romance novels. There was little in Betty's background to suggest that she might eventually become a much-loved novelist.
Her first book, Sister Peters in Amsterdam, was published in 1969, and by dint of often writing four books a year, she eventually completed 134 books. She was always quite firm upon the point that the Dutch doctors who frequently appeared in her stories were *not* based upon her husband, but rather upon an amalgam of several of the doctors she met while nursing in Holland.
To her millions of fans around the world, Betty Neels epitomized romance. She was always amazed and touched that her books were so widely appreciated. She never sought plaudits and remained a very private person, but it made her very happy to know that she brought such pleasure to so many readers, while herself gaining a quiet joy from spinning her stories. It is perhaps a reflection of her upbringing in an earlier time that the men and women who peopled her stories have a kindliness and good manners, coupled to honesty and integrity, that is not always present in our modern world. Her myriad of fans found a warmth and a reassurance of a better world in her stories, along with characters who touched the heart, which is all and more than one could ask of a romance writer. She received a great deal of fan mail, and there was always a comment upon the fascinating places she visited in her stories. Quite often those of her fans fortunate enough to visit Ho
In 1939 she was called up to the Territorial Army Nursing Service, which later became the Queen Alexandra Reserves, and was sent to France with the Casualty Clearing Station. This comprised eight nursing sisters, including Betty, to 100 men! In other circumstances, she thought that might have been quite thrilling! When France was invaded in 1940, all the nursing sisters managed to escape in the charge of an army major, undertaking a lengthy and terrifying journey to Boulogne in an ambulance. They were incredibly fortunate to be put on the last hospital ship to be leaving the port of Boulogne. But Betty's war didn't end there, for she was posted to Scotland, and then on to Northern Ireland, where she met her Dutch husband. He was a seaman aboard a minesweeper, which was bombed. He survived and was sent to the south of Holland to guard the sluices. However, when they had to abandon their post, they were told to escape if they could, and along with a small number of other men, he marched into Belgium. They stole a ship and managed to get it across the Channel to Dover before being transferred to the Atlantic run on the convoys. Sadly he became ill, and that was when he was transferred to hospital in Northern Ireland, where he met Betty. They eventually married, and were blessed with a daughter. They were posted to London, but were bombed out. As with most of the population, they made the best of things.
When the war finally ended, she and her husband were repatriated to Holland. As his family had believed he had died when his ship went down, this was a very emotional homecoming. The small family lived in Holland for 13 years, and Betty resumed her nursing career there. When they decided to return to England, Betty continued her nursing and when she eventually retired she had reached the position of night superintendent.
Betty Neels began writing almost by accident. She had retired from nursing, but her inquiring mind had no intention of vegetating, and her new career was born when she heard a lady in her local library bemoaning the lack of good romance novels. There was little in Betty's background to suggest that she might eventually become a much-loved novelist.
Her first book, Sister Peters in Amsterdam, was published in 1969, and by dint of often writing four books a year, she eventually completed 134 books. She was always quite firm upon the point that the Dutch doctors who frequently appeared in her stories were *not* based upon her husband, but rather upon an amalgam of several of the doctors she met while nursing in Holland.
To her millions of fans around the world, Betty Neels epitomized romance. She was always amazed and touched that her books were so widely appreciated. She never sought plaudits and remained a very private person, but it made her very happy to know that she brought such pleasure to so many readers, while herself gaining a quiet joy from spinning her stories. It is perhaps a reflection of her upbringing in an earlier time that the men and women who peopled her stories have a kindliness and good manners, coupled to honesty and integrity, that is not always present in our modern world. Her myriad of fans found a warmth and a reassurance of a better world in her stories, along with characters who touched the heart, which is all and more than one could ask of a romance writer. She received a great deal of fan mail, and there was always a comment upon the fascinating places she visited in her stories. Quite often those of her fans fortunate enough to visit Ho
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
August 22, 2015
This has to be the top on my list of Absolute Favourite Betty Neels Books. And was it just me or did this book seem a lot longer than your regular BN book? Maybe it was me, I read it super slow just to savour and treasure each and every precious moment in this book.
I loved it.
Our heroine has to be one of the sweetest, kindest, gentlest martyr heroines across romance history. What's more, she wasn't a doormat and had a sharp tongue when needed in that perfectness that was Abigail Trent. ALSO, I LOVE THAT NAME.
The hero was an absolute cad, as my friend Leona says, scowling and glaring at the heroine, always addressing her in icy terms and never, ever being nice to her. (Okay okay, he was nice a couple times.) But he was mostly just scowling at her, showing her how much he disliked her.
And you know what? I loved it. I loved him. The poor guy, I also loved loved loved the age difference between them! 16 years!
So this story is about our lovely, flawless heroine trying to find work after 3 months of unemployment where she had taken care of her sick mother until she died. They have an old gardener-odd job man who has been with them forever and hasn't been paid for a year because of lack of funds, and yet refuses to leave them. Heroine finds a job in Amsterdam, where she meets the hero, RDD (or RDS, since he was a surgeon), who is cold and aloof and always scowling at only her, and courteous to everyone else. After she finishes the said term of employment, hero asks her to look after one of his old doctor friends who will have a surgery, then after his mother's old friend after the old friend of his has recovered. Then she goes back to England, but he calls her back because his niece, who lives in Spain, needs surgery. This book had probably THE MOST travelling, more than any other BN I have ever read. And I loved that too, her descriptions and scenery and just basically EVERY SINGLE THING BETTY NEELS WRITES IS SO PERFECTLY PERFECT AND WONDERFUL AND OH-SO-SWEET.
Also, the hero was horrid, always forgetting to pay her. I would have liked him to feel a little bit more remorse and guilt at the end when he realises it, but everything is wrapped up swiftly and not-very-neatly, almost as if Betty is ashamed to write anything more from their HEA fearing it would go into Inappropriate Risque Harley territory if lengthened, and just finishes it off fleetly. But that is very characteristic of Betty, and the rest of her book is always so satisfying, that it does nothing to lower the rating of her readers about her books, BECAUSE SHE IS SO FLAWLESS.
I would like to add another gif commenting on the perfection of Michael Fassbender saying 'perfection' here.
*inserts gif*
This is definitely a book I'm going to reread again, God willing. Betty Neels is the BOMB.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO ALL YOU BN FANS + MARTYR, MARY SUE HEROINE FANS OUT THERE, YOU WILL LOVE IT!
I loved it.
Our heroine has to be one of the sweetest, kindest, gentlest martyr heroines across romance history. What's more, she wasn't a doormat and had a sharp tongue when needed in that perfectness that was Abigail Trent. ALSO, I LOVE THAT NAME.
The hero was an absolute cad, as my friend Leona says, scowling and glaring at the heroine, always addressing her in icy terms and never, ever being nice to her. (Okay okay, he was nice a couple times.) But he was mostly just scowling at her, showing her how much he disliked her.
And you know what? I loved it. I loved him. The poor guy, I also loved loved loved the age difference between them! 16 years!
So this story is about our lovely, flawless heroine trying to find work after 3 months of unemployment where she had taken care of her sick mother until she died. They have an old gardener-odd job man who has been with them forever and hasn't been paid for a year because of lack of funds, and yet refuses to leave them. Heroine finds a job in Amsterdam, where she meets the hero, RDD (or RDS, since he was a surgeon), who is cold and aloof and always scowling at only her, and courteous to everyone else. After she finishes the said term of employment, hero asks her to look after one of his old doctor friends who will have a surgery, then after his mother's old friend after the old friend of his has recovered. Then she goes back to England, but he calls her back because his niece, who lives in Spain, needs surgery. This book had probably THE MOST travelling, more than any other BN I have ever read. And I loved that too, her descriptions and scenery and just basically EVERY SINGLE THING BETTY NEELS WRITES IS SO PERFECTLY PERFECT AND WONDERFUL AND OH-SO-SWEET.
Also, the hero was horrid, always forgetting to pay her. I would have liked him to feel a little bit more remorse and guilt at the end when he realises it, but everything is wrapped up swiftly and not-very-neatly, almost as if Betty is ashamed to write anything more from their HEA fearing it would go into Inappropriate Risque Harley territory if lengthened, and just finishes it off fleetly. But that is very characteristic of Betty, and the rest of her book is always so satisfying, that it does nothing to lower the rating of her readers about her books, BECAUSE SHE IS SO FLAWLESS.
I would like to add another gif commenting on the perfection of Michael Fassbender saying 'perfection' here.
*inserts gif*
This is definitely a book I'm going to reread again, God willing. Betty Neels is the BOMB.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO ALL YOU BN FANS + MARTYR, MARY SUE HEROINE FANS OUT THERE, YOU WILL LOVE IT!
June 1, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️ three stars -
Continuing along with my Betty Neels journey, I find myself pausing to review this sweet romance.
This work from Neels, originally published by Mills and Boon back in 1972, kept me engaged, and provided a pleasant ride along the path of the sweet romance category.
Keeping with Neels’ style, you get an old-fashioned romance told with an eye toward the medical; complete with a strong, alpha Hero. He’s a tad too grouchy for far too long for a romance, imho, and that’s what contributes to the loss of a star here.
I really didn’t like him for nearly two-thirds of the book. He’s just too hot and cold, and is the King of Mixed Signals. I wanted her to grow a backbone at least for a hundred pages before she actually does. Then, the payoff and nod toward the romance that this is meant to be falls short with his weak grovel.
The plot centers around unrequited love (on our heroine’s part), which is one of my favorite tropes. This attributes to my initial inclination to rate this at a four, but the medical diary here becomes just too tiresome for this layperson to stumble through. A lot of that could have been pared down, and a lot more penetrating looks could have been added, but alas, this is Neels and she was bound and determined to include her diary notes from her days as a professional nurse. You need to go with this if you’re reading one of her books, as the medical angle is featured heavily.
For me, I enjoyed this book. I just loved Abigail and her dedicated retainer, Bolly. The sweetness of this paternal relationship brought much-needed sentiment into the story. I just loved the scenes with Bolly acting as Abigail’s caretaker. She’s a girl down on her luck, and she deserves to have a champion. Neels gives her Bolly, since the Professor is too busy scowling at her and giving her the stink-eye - when he’s not too busy to kiss her, that is.
No worries, though, after about a third of the way through our tale, our Hero is again kissing our fed-up heroine Abigail, and she finally decides she has had enough of his hot and cold treatment, and she removes herself from his proximity - an inevitable action in these old-school romances. How else can we get him to chase after her, apologize (in his meh fashion), then get to our grande finale with an engaged couple as our big payoff?
No need to worry - Betty gets us there in a happy fashion. Plus, we get a very sweet scene where Abby refuses to come down from up a ladder until our Hero apologizes, thus saving this romance and our heroine’s pride.👌
Three strong stars. I’ll definitely read this again at some point. It’s very close to a four rating, but Dominic really annoyed me in the middle with his Debby Downer routine. 💁♀️
Even so, do recommend for my fellow readers of these older M&B sweet romances. 💕
Continuing along with my Betty Neels journey, I find myself pausing to review this sweet romance.
This work from Neels, originally published by Mills and Boon back in 1972, kept me engaged, and provided a pleasant ride along the path of the sweet romance category.
Keeping with Neels’ style, you get an old-fashioned romance told with an eye toward the medical; complete with a strong, alpha Hero. He’s a tad too grouchy for far too long for a romance, imho, and that’s what contributes to the loss of a star here.
I really didn’t like him for nearly two-thirds of the book. He’s just too hot and cold, and is the King of Mixed Signals. I wanted her to grow a backbone at least for a hundred pages before she actually does. Then, the payoff and nod toward the romance that this is meant to be falls short with his weak grovel.
The plot centers around unrequited love (on our heroine’s part), which is one of my favorite tropes. This attributes to my initial inclination to rate this at a four, but the medical diary here becomes just too tiresome for this layperson to stumble through. A lot of that could have been pared down, and a lot more penetrating looks could have been added, but alas, this is Neels and she was bound and determined to include her diary notes from her days as a professional nurse. You need to go with this if you’re reading one of her books, as the medical angle is featured heavily.
For me, I enjoyed this book. I just loved Abigail and her dedicated retainer, Bolly. The sweetness of this paternal relationship brought much-needed sentiment into the story. I just loved the scenes with Bolly acting as Abigail’s caretaker. She’s a girl down on her luck, and she deserves to have a champion. Neels gives her Bolly, since the Professor is too busy scowling at her and giving her the stink-eye - when he’s not too busy to kiss her, that is.
No worries, though, after about a third of the way through our tale, our Hero is again kissing our fed-up heroine Abigail, and she finally decides she has had enough of his hot and cold treatment, and she removes herself from his proximity - an inevitable action in these old-school romances. How else can we get him to chase after her, apologize (in his meh fashion), then get to our grande finale with an engaged couple as our big payoff?
No need to worry - Betty gets us there in a happy fashion. Plus, we get a very sweet scene where Abby refuses to come down from up a ladder until our Hero apologizes, thus saving this romance and our heroine’s pride.👌
Three strong stars. I’ll definitely read this again at some point. It’s very close to a four rating, but Dominic really annoyed me in the middle with his Debby Downer routine. 💁♀️
Even so, do recommend for my fellow readers of these older M&B sweet romances. 💕
May 30, 2021
***Updated again to add cover artist info: Bern Smith, who did so many covers around this time.
Love the multiple views!
**UPDATED upon Re-read**, and upped a star because I just love Abigail (as does everyone who meets her--she is utterly charming and everyone falls under her spell!). I find this one of the angstier BN novels and one of my faves. Betty's skill becomes so much more apparent on rereads--understated background info (no clunky infodumps here!), subtle hints as to the characters' feelings, just beautifully done. In SC, Neels touches on the fact that the heroine has recently lost her mother and is at a crossroads in life, figuring out what to do next in a way that will allow her to fulfil her responsibilities to Bollinger, the elderly family friend and retainer whose comfort and security she now sees as her responsibility and worry. But this brief backstory underpins everything that happens from the start of the novel and gives such insight into Abby's character (without belaboring the backstory--Betty relies on the reader to remember and connect the dots).
I also realized on this reread the subtle significance of Abigail's name--Dominic certainly never sees her as any kind of inferior, getting angry when she uses the tradesmen's door and, later, serves behind a counter. It doesn't excuse him for forgetting to pay her a couple of times (although she should have spoken up), but does hint that he doesn't see her as solely as someone who works for him. And the heroine's comment--that her parents named her as a kind of joke between them (because, I think, they assumed she would NEVER have to work for a living)--I think speaks to the fact that her background (she went to a posh boarding school; her uncle is married to a peer's sister) makes her a good match for our club-tie RDD. Again, subtle, gentle details woven seamlessly--indeed, invisibly--into the story, adding fine little nuances. Well done, Betty.
I also appreciated and liked the cranky Rich Dutch Doctor, Dominic, a lot more on this read. It was much more clear how gobsmacked and besotted he was from the first time he set eyes on her, and all his chilliness and crankiness (when he wasn't telling her how she takes his breath away) derives from his belief that he is probably too old for her and his very rusty romance skills (another RDD with a terrible relationship in his past). As with so many other BN heroes, we get that sense that our rich bachelor has been pursued because of his wealth and social standing for decades and is suspicious and wary of females as a result. He's also married to his work, as so many of our RDDs are. So he's prickly and reticent and a hard nut to crack, and our shy heroine is the last person to make any direct, let alone aggressive, moves--which is definitely part of her appeal for him and the reason he gradually comes to trust in her. So many characters note how our gunshy Dominic's seeming coldness and abruptness hide a soft heart and it is so much more obvious on a second read.
And his actions speak MUCH louder than words during his cranky-in-appearance courtship of her:
- He arranges job after job to keep her in Amsterdam after her initial private-nursing assignment ends.
-He brings her old family retainer, Bollinger, over from London to work for him temporarily when he discovers that the heroine is sending Bolly her earnings to pay for his lousy bedsitter and is worried about leaving him.
-He troubles himself over making sure she gets her time off even when she is reluctant to take it because of a nursing shortage.
-He takes her to the hospital ball.
-He sneakily takes her to a concert (she goes with the old lady she's staying with but he's there and is basically her date and holds her hand the entire time) and also arranges for her to have her day off at his house so that she can see Bolly and not have to spend any of her meager supply of money.
-He has his driver pick her up after her hospital shift every night so that she doesn't have to walk back to where she is staying after dark.
Besotted. He tells her early on that she has not only restored his faith in women, but in humans in general, and that he didn't know there were still girls like her left in the world. Awww! Be as cold and cranky as you like Dominic--now I see right through you!
Loved both of them and they are nicely drawn as unique and likable personalities, distinct from some of TGB's more hastily sketched heroes and heroines.
Orig: review:
"Saturday's Child works hard for a living...." and so does Abigail, the standard BN plain-but-not-really nurse-heroine. It's your typical BN RDD/nurse romance, except that the hero, Dominic, is worse than most of BN's heroes in terms of tormenting our "mouse-not-doormat" heroine with his blow hot/blow cold behavior. I wanted a nice, sweet BN read as a chaser for my most recent vintage-Harley read, the wreckidrama torture-fest Shattered Dreams by Sally Wentworth (approach with caution). What I forgot, though, is that BN can write EMOTIONAL torture to beat the band, and this was not the "comfort read" I was anticipating. The hero in this one, RDD Dominic, seriously puts our sweet, sturdy heroine through the wringer. She gets her own back a teeny bit in the end, giving him a little bit of whatfor from atop a ladder, and he does a decent-for-BN-hero bit of groveling, so all's well that end well, but it's a bumpy ride. A nicely emo outing; a tear or two were shed.
Love the multiple views!
**UPDATED upon Re-read**, and upped a star because I just love Abigail (as does everyone who meets her--she is utterly charming and everyone falls under her spell!). I find this one of the angstier BN novels and one of my faves. Betty's skill becomes so much more apparent on rereads--understated background info (no clunky infodumps here!), subtle hints as to the characters' feelings, just beautifully done. In SC, Neels touches on the fact that the heroine has recently lost her mother and is at a crossroads in life, figuring out what to do next in a way that will allow her to fulfil her responsibilities to Bollinger, the elderly family friend and retainer whose comfort and security she now sees as her responsibility and worry. But this brief backstory underpins everything that happens from the start of the novel and gives such insight into Abby's character (without belaboring the backstory--Betty relies on the reader to remember and connect the dots).
I also realized on this reread the subtle significance of Abigail's name--Dominic certainly never sees her as any kind of inferior, getting angry when she uses the tradesmen's door and, later, serves behind a counter. It doesn't excuse him for forgetting to pay her a couple of times (although she should have spoken up), but does hint that he doesn't see her as solely as someone who works for him. And the heroine's comment--that her parents named her as a kind of joke between them (because, I think, they assumed she would NEVER have to work for a living)--I think speaks to the fact that her background (she went to a posh boarding school; her uncle is married to a peer's sister) makes her a good match for our club-tie RDD. Again, subtle, gentle details woven seamlessly--indeed, invisibly--into the story, adding fine little nuances. Well done, Betty.
I also appreciated and liked the cranky Rich Dutch Doctor, Dominic, a lot more on this read. It was much more clear how gobsmacked and besotted he was from the first time he set eyes on her, and all his chilliness and crankiness (when he wasn't telling her how she takes his breath away) derives from his belief that he is probably too old for her and his very rusty romance skills (another RDD with a terrible relationship in his past). As with so many other BN heroes, we get that sense that our rich bachelor has been pursued because of his wealth and social standing for decades and is suspicious and wary of females as a result. He's also married to his work, as so many of our RDDs are. So he's prickly and reticent and a hard nut to crack, and our shy heroine is the last person to make any direct, let alone aggressive, moves--which is definitely part of her appeal for him and the reason he gradually comes to trust in her. So many characters note how our gunshy Dominic's seeming coldness and abruptness hide a soft heart and it is so much more obvious on a second read.
And his actions speak MUCH louder than words during his cranky-in-appearance courtship of her:
- He arranges job after job to keep her in Amsterdam after her initial private-nursing assignment ends.
-He brings her old family retainer, Bollinger, over from London to work for him temporarily when he discovers that the heroine is sending Bolly her earnings to pay for his lousy bedsitter and is worried about leaving him.
-He troubles himself over making sure she gets her time off even when she is reluctant to take it because of a nursing shortage.
-He takes her to the hospital ball.
-He sneakily takes her to a concert (she goes with the old lady she's staying with but he's there and is basically her date and holds her hand the entire time) and also arranges for her to have her day off at his house so that she can see Bolly and not have to spend any of her meager supply of money.
-He has his driver pick her up after her hospital shift every night so that she doesn't have to walk back to where she is staying after dark.
Besotted. He tells her early on that she has not only restored his faith in women, but in humans in general, and that he didn't know there were still girls like her left in the world. Awww! Be as cold and cranky as you like Dominic--now I see right through you!
Loved both of them and they are nicely drawn as unique and likable personalities, distinct from some of TGB's more hastily sketched heroes and heroines.
Orig: review:
"Saturday's Child works hard for a living...." and so does Abigail, the standard BN plain-but-not-really nurse-heroine. It's your typical BN RDD/nurse romance, except that the hero, Dominic, is worse than most of BN's heroes in terms of tormenting our "mouse-not-doormat" heroine with his blow hot/blow cold behavior. I wanted a nice, sweet BN read as a chaser for my most recent vintage-Harley read, the wreckidrama torture-fest Shattered Dreams by Sally Wentworth (approach with caution). What I forgot, though, is that BN can write EMOTIONAL torture to beat the band, and this was not the "comfort read" I was anticipating. The hero in this one, RDD Dominic, seriously puts our sweet, sturdy heroine through the wringer. She gets her own back a teeny bit in the end, giving him a little bit of whatfor from atop a ladder, and he does a decent-for-BN-hero bit of groveling, so all's well that end well, but it's a bumpy ride. A nicely emo outing; a tear or two were shed.
October 20, 2012
Once again Betty Neels pens a wonderful story about a young english nurse who finds love with a Dutch doctor. Of course, what else..it's Betty Neels. I loved Abigail, her kindness, generosity, humility and her great capacity to love. She was such a wonderful character, always willing to put others before herself. I particularly loved her faithful gardener and the committed relationship they had for each other. It just goes to show that families are those people that we love, irregardless of blood ties.
My only disappointment, was the hero, Professor Dominic. What an absolute misogynistic cad. He was constantly forgetting to pay her. The poor girl had to go hungry, go without clothes, go without entertainment because the idiot forgot to pay her. I guess when you are rich, you have no concept of the little people. I particularly was disturbed by the ending,
He was not worthy of our wonderful heroine...........
My only disappointment, was the hero, Professor Dominic. What an absolute misogynistic cad. He was constantly forgetting to pay her. The poor girl had to go hungry, go without clothes, go without entertainment because the idiot forgot to pay her. I guess when you are rich, you have no concept of the little people. I particularly was disturbed by the ending,
He was not worthy of our wonderful heroine...........
July 27, 2018
This is one of the most maddening romances I have ever read. But it's also Neels and I love her; so, as she would've written, I forebore. Honestly, what a dick of a hero. As I tweeted, this is the only Neels that has ever made me anxious. Neels is supposed to be ah, sink in, relax, all is gentle, meek, and mild, except for Saturday's Child! (Sorry 'bout the rhyming.) My anxiety stemmed from the dork-hero NEVER PAYING THE HEROINE HER NURSE'S WAGES. Poor plain Abigail was in a constant state of penury and the idiot Dominic behaved as if people didn't need money to EAT, DRESS, and have SHELTER. He was too caught up in his own misery and prejudice. And he was a workaholic, bred of a long suspicion of WOMEN. ARGH. Did I dnf, give up, throw it across the room? Sure wanted to ... but I persisted b/c Neels and her connection to my favourite novel, Jane Eyre, with its given to temper heroine and how she survives and persists. How important it is that she is plain and little and of no social or economic consequence. (HOW SHE HAS TO ASK DICK-ROCHESTER FOR HER WAGES.) As are the best of Neels's heroines. And, I was rewarded. Not just b/c reader, she married him, but for the great grovel scene, which involves a ladder, Dutch biscuits, and this nonpareil line: "Somewhere at some time she remembered she had read that one should always begin as one meant to go on, especially when it concerned matters of the heart. It seemed to her a sound idea. She stayed where she was." And that's why there's no one quite like our Betty, even when she writes the most annoying hero of them all.
April 28, 2016
I love Betty Neels and her writings and I'm deeply thankful for each book and novella she got published. I cannot deny, however, that she held a disdain for Americans; whether it stems from a simple prejudice or from a bad personal experience I have no way of knowing. Most often in her books, Americans appear as fat, rich men who whisk the Veronica out of the picture to leave the H/h to their HEA.
This book is different, as it features an American couple that the heroine actually likes! Abigail Trent has begun to work for an agency after her mother's death. She has no one in the world except Bollinger, the FFR for whom she feels a great affection and to whom she owes back wages during her mother's illness.
Mr. and Mrs. Goldberg are living in Amsterdam - he is some sort of diplomat - and a female friend of theirs becomes ill. Mrs. Goldberg engages Abigail to care for said friend and of course, meets the consultant and our RDD, Professor Dominic van Wijkelen. She doesn't like him because he is terse and arrogant and always appears irritated.
After her job with the Goldbergs has ended, Dominic hires her to nurse a friend of his, Professor de Wit, A charming, Elderly and scholarly gentleman. And after that, for another old friend, Mrs. Macklin. You get the picture – Dominic does not want Abigail to go back to England.
He kisses her a few times. He even tells her that she has restored his faith in women. Dominic had been married as a very young man to a Faithless First Wife.
The problem is that Dominic also forget to pay Abigail. She does make her way back to England after Mrs. Macklin recovers. Then Dominic calls Abigail to accompany him from Spain where his young niece has become ill after swallowing some pesetas. While they are talking on the phone, Dominic realizes he hasn't paid her. He makes arrangements for her to get money from a bank there in London.
After they get Nina back to Holland and Dominic surgically removes the coins, Abigail stays at his home and nurses Nina. It's obvious that Dominic has fallen in love with Abigail and obviously she reciprocates. After Nina recovers and goes back home with her father, Abigail helps out at the hospital. After some snogging one night, Dominic says they have to talk but that he will be away for a couple of days. Abigail is on cloud nine.
Dominic gets back early and come straight to the hospital. When he walks in, Abigail is talking to Henk, the registrar, about his latest girlfriend, but Dominic thanks they are talking about him and is infuriated. He thinks that Abigail has played him false and that he is too old for her. He tells her she is no longer needed at the hospital and she leaves almost immediately.
Well guess what? He has forgotten to pay her again! So now she's penniless. She goes off to a tiny village in Friesland to a friend of Mrs. Macklin's and ends up working in the village shop.
Which is where Dominic finds her eventually, up on a ladder dusting bottles of pickles. He grovels sufficiently, declares himself and proposes and of course Abigail accepts. He says they will be married in the church in the Begijnhof.
I like this one for 2 reasons: 1. Abigail is feisty and has backbone. 2. In spite of his misogyny, Dominic can't help falling in love with her. And he does try to fight it but it was over the first time they met. For me, that warrants forgiveness for his thoughtlessness in other areas, like forgetting to pay her.
This book is different, as it features an American couple that the heroine actually likes! Abigail Trent has begun to work for an agency after her mother's death. She has no one in the world except Bollinger, the FFR for whom she feels a great affection and to whom she owes back wages during her mother's illness.
Mr. and Mrs. Goldberg are living in Amsterdam - he is some sort of diplomat - and a female friend of theirs becomes ill. Mrs. Goldberg engages Abigail to care for said friend and of course, meets the consultant and our RDD, Professor Dominic van Wijkelen. She doesn't like him because he is terse and arrogant and always appears irritated.
After her job with the Goldbergs has ended, Dominic hires her to nurse a friend of his, Professor de Wit, A charming, Elderly and scholarly gentleman. And after that, for another old friend, Mrs. Macklin. You get the picture – Dominic does not want Abigail to go back to England.
He kisses her a few times. He even tells her that she has restored his faith in women. Dominic had been married as a very young man to a Faithless First Wife.
The problem is that Dominic also forget to pay Abigail. She does make her way back to England after Mrs. Macklin recovers. Then Dominic calls Abigail to accompany him from Spain where his young niece has become ill after swallowing some pesetas. While they are talking on the phone, Dominic realizes he hasn't paid her. He makes arrangements for her to get money from a bank there in London.
After they get Nina back to Holland and Dominic surgically removes the coins, Abigail stays at his home and nurses Nina. It's obvious that Dominic has fallen in love with Abigail and obviously she reciprocates. After Nina recovers and goes back home with her father, Abigail helps out at the hospital. After some snogging one night, Dominic says they have to talk but that he will be away for a couple of days. Abigail is on cloud nine.
Dominic gets back early and come straight to the hospital. When he walks in, Abigail is talking to Henk, the registrar, about his latest girlfriend, but Dominic thanks they are talking about him and is infuriated. He thinks that Abigail has played him false and that he is too old for her. He tells her she is no longer needed at the hospital and she leaves almost immediately.
Well guess what? He has forgotten to pay her again! So now she's penniless. She goes off to a tiny village in Friesland to a friend of Mrs. Macklin's and ends up working in the village shop.
Which is where Dominic finds her eventually, up on a ladder dusting bottles of pickles. He grovels sufficiently, declares himself and proposes and of course Abigail accepts. He says they will be married in the church in the Begijnhof.
I like this one for 2 reasons: 1. Abigail is feisty and has backbone. 2. In spite of his misogyny, Dominic can't help falling in love with her. And he does try to fight it but it was over the first time they met. For me, that warrants forgiveness for his thoughtlessness in other areas, like forgetting to pay her.
March 31, 2022
5 Stars! ~ When her mother had become deathly ill, Abigail left her nursing position to care for her. For several months they lived on her mother's little pension. A week after her mother's death, Abigail finds herself at an agency looking for work and with luck there's a live in position available for a few weeks in Amsterdam. Abby did her careful calculations and she just had enough left of her savings to cover her fare, and if she's careful with her money she had enough to send back to London to the elderly gentleman, Bollinger, who had been their gardener and helper for many years. The woman she is to take care of is a wealthy American staying with friends, and she had a stomach ailment that may require surgery. Dominic is a very prominent surgeon, specializing in all things gastric. While he is remarkably good looking, he is also very abrupt and often rude. From the moment they met, Abby was certain that the Professor disliked her tremendously. She bumps into him at the post office, where she is dismayed to learn that in Holland you cannot send money by post. He offers to post it for her when he goes to London, only when he gets there he delivers it in person. Abby is surprised to find that the Professor has brought Bollinger back to Amsterdam with him to work as his own gardener. And when her position ends, the Professor finds her another temporary assignment. He does this again and again. Abby's not sure why he helps her as he continues to dislike her, but from time to time she sees the man he hides behind his cool mask. She realizes that something has happened to him to make him so bitter, and she falls in love with the man she sees he can still be.
This is so far my favourite love story by Betty Neels. From the first paragraph, I was taken up with Abby's sad situation. Not once complaining, she was determined to face each day and make a life for herself and Bollinger. Dominic is a kind hearted man who was badly hurt and vowed to devote his life only to his career. Abby's selfless generosity shakes him. Is she for real, or a great actress trying to charm herself into his life? By the time he realizes she is for real he nearly loses her. From tears to laughter, and outrage and more tears and then pride in Abby's resolve, my heart was involved from the very first pages in only the way Betty Neels can do. I'll not soon forget this love story.
This is so far my favourite love story by Betty Neels. From the first paragraph, I was taken up with Abby's sad situation. Not once complaining, she was determined to face each day and make a life for herself and Bollinger. Dominic is a kind hearted man who was badly hurt and vowed to devote his life only to his career. Abby's selfless generosity shakes him. Is she for real, or a great actress trying to charm herself into his life? By the time he realizes she is for real he nearly loses her. From tears to laughter, and outrage and more tears and then pride in Abby's resolve, my heart was involved from the very first pages in only the way Betty Neels can do. I'll not soon forget this love story.
October 22, 2015
Omg what nonsense was this? I felt like I was reading the Materials and Methods section of a scientific paper...seriously it was so dry....It was a potential DNF.
September 22, 2023
I would like to preface my original review a bit. I do like this author and have read quite a few of her books now. This just isn't one of my favourites by BN.
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Abigail the unrelenting doormat and Dominic, the Professor of 'how to be an Ahole 101'.
I think this author is just not my cup of tea. I must confess too, that I skimmed a lot. I did like the setting in the Netherlands. Not a place you usually read about in romances. I thought the characters were well drawn, but that doesn't mean I liked them. In fact I thought Dominic was such an asshat even at the end. Maybe an epilogue would have helped? I think he should have had to work to win back her trust. The story is a very clean romance relying on subtle nuances in language and the occasional brooding look. I think what made Dominic so unforgivable was that he neglects to pay her to the point where she is unable to buy a much needed pair of boots for the slush. He is so self centered through out the entire story and takes her for granted. She plain, much younger and is too polite or too much of a wuss call him on his butt headedness. And of course always forgives him immediately. I just rolled my eyes. Still, the writing is nice, if a wee bit depressing.
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Abigail the unrelenting doormat and Dominic, the Professor of 'how to be an Ahole 101'.
I think this author is just not my cup of tea. I must confess too, that I skimmed a lot. I did like the setting in the Netherlands. Not a place you usually read about in romances. I thought the characters were well drawn, but that doesn't mean I liked them. In fact I thought Dominic was such an asshat even at the end. Maybe an epilogue would have helped? I think he should have had to work to win back her trust. The story is a very clean romance relying on subtle nuances in language and the occasional brooding look. I think what made Dominic so unforgivable was that he neglects to pay her to the point where she is unable to buy a much needed pair of boots for the slush. He is so self centered through out the entire story and takes her for granted. She plain, much younger and is too polite or too much of a wuss call him on his butt headedness. And of course always forgives him immediately. I just rolled my eyes. Still, the writing is nice, if a wee bit depressing.
August 22, 2023
Dominic does have a tragic back story and it makes him unique from other Neels heroes in my reading of her books thus far. He was slower to pick up on the clues of his own feelings, but that is understandable. The dynamic between Dominic and Abigail was sometimes good, sometimes a bit aggravating. More communication please? Abigail is a great character. Perhaps a bit of a martyr when she doesn’t need to be but her heart is good and true. There are some super side characters in this, especially Bolly, Mrs Macklin, and Professor de Wit. I enjoyed how flexible Abigail is with all her different jobs.
August 19, 2018
I loved this book at every moment I was reading it, which is how I usually feel about Betty Neels, but when I put it down and thought about it I was less sure.
Good things (typical Betty): the settings, houses, clothes, food—I love her world, which isn’t exotic but domestic, not-quite-real, a place to escape into. The heroine, Abigail, a mixture of confident (in her nursing skills) and self-doubting (about her appearance and desirability) that feels very human and real, a nice, sensible, caring person. There should be more people like this in the world. Abby, of course, falls for rich and seemingly grumpy Dutch Doctor Dominic, but she isn’t abject in her (she thinks) unrequited love, she stands up to him and hangs onto her self-respect. This is what makes Neels’ fairytales tolerable, because the heroes are so much more everything—big, rich, handsome, successful, bossy—than the heroines, and if she were a doormat it would be too annoying to read.
What bothered me (this, too, is somewhat typical Betty): Dominic is always clearly kind underneath—with his patients old and young, for instance, who are great characters—but he blows hot and cold with Abigail. That’s because he had a bad early marriage that destroyed his faith in women, and he is reluctant/afraid to let Abigail restore it. OK. But really you wouldn’t want a husband who couldn’t get over this in 15 years and acted like a jerk because he had feelings. And Abigail is totally broke and he keeps forgetting to pay her, and she’s too proud to ask. There IS a good grovel and I loved how she stood her ground and made him see how unfair he’d been, and in a category romance you have to take this as shorthand for the changes that needed to happen, but I couldn’t totally lose myself in the fantasy here. I still enjoyed it very, very much and read the end with a happy sigh.
Good things (typical Betty): the settings, houses, clothes, food—I love her world, which isn’t exotic but domestic, not-quite-real, a place to escape into. The heroine, Abigail, a mixture of confident (in her nursing skills) and self-doubting (about her appearance and desirability) that feels very human and real, a nice, sensible, caring person. There should be more people like this in the world. Abby, of course, falls for rich and seemingly grumpy Dutch Doctor Dominic, but she isn’t abject in her (she thinks) unrequited love, she stands up to him and hangs onto her self-respect. This is what makes Neels’ fairytales tolerable, because the heroes are so much more everything—big, rich, handsome, successful, bossy—than the heroines, and if she were a doormat it would be too annoying to read.
What bothered me (this, too, is somewhat typical Betty): Dominic is always clearly kind underneath—with his patients old and young, for instance, who are great characters—but he blows hot and cold with Abigail. That’s because he had a bad early marriage that destroyed his faith in women, and he is reluctant/afraid to let Abigail restore it. OK. But really you wouldn’t want a husband who couldn’t get over this in 15 years and acted like a jerk because he had feelings. And Abigail is totally broke and he keeps forgetting to pay her, and she’s too proud to ask. There IS a good grovel and I loved how she stood her ground and made him see how unfair he’d been, and in a category romance you have to take this as shorthand for the changes that needed to happen, but I couldn’t totally lose myself in the fantasy here. I still enjoyed it very, very much and read the end with a happy sigh.
January 27, 2021
I can't explain why I am reading Betty Neels. Her heroes are cold sticks and her heroines are plain and have the same inner dialogue. Maybe it is the bygone old European hospital settings. I don't know
December 26, 2023
Atmospheric but very cliché.
February 8, 2014
This story has a particularly sweet heroine who like Saturdays Child in the poem has to work for a living after the death of her mother after a long illness. She has an old family retainer to support and her only option is private nursing. Luckily her first job is a position in Amsterdam nursing an American woman being treated by Professor Dominic van Wijkelin who appears to take an instant dislike to our lovely heroine.
Dominic is obviously struggling with his feelings for Abigail and when we find out why he is such an embittered misogynist his behaviour is easier to understand. Especially as we see he is positively soppy about kittens, children and old ladies. Unfortunately his efforts to dismiss this disturbing influence from his life usually result in him forgetting to pay her leaving Abigail scratching for the basics.
I liked the fact that there is no current Other Woman in this story and the tension is purely between Dominic and his bitterness from the past and the natural disinclination for a plain woman to believe a man who is alternately sweet and nasty (mostly nasty) has any serious interest in her.
Dominic is obviously struggling with his feelings for Abigail and when we find out why he is such an embittered misogynist his behaviour is easier to understand. Especially as we see he is positively soppy about kittens, children and old ladies. Unfortunately his efforts to dismiss this disturbing influence from his life usually result in him forgetting to pay her leaving Abigail scratching for the basics.
I liked the fact that there is no current Other Woman in this story and the tension is purely between Dominic and his bitterness from the past and the natural disinclination for a plain woman to believe a man who is alternately sweet and nasty (mostly nasty) has any serious interest in her.
December 31, 2023
Odd and flat, in my opinion.
The idea and the characters could have made an enjoyable Harlequin romance. But it was too boring and inconsistent. I didn't buy Dominic's mistrust of women. He was supposed to be poised and intelligent, and he even didn't love "that woman" - so where was the base for so long and deep mistrust? Then, Abigail behaved like she didn't understand Dominic's behavior - although she obviously knew "that part of his past" (someone told her personally).
So, I skimmed and skipped most of the book. It was my second by the author. I rated The Course of True Love a bit higher, although I don't remember it at all. I am not sure when and if I will give Betty Neels another try.
The idea and the characters could have made an enjoyable Harlequin romance. But it was too boring and inconsistent. I didn't buy Dominic's mistrust of women. He was supposed to be poised and intelligent, and he even didn't love "that woman" - so where was the base for so long and deep mistrust? Then, Abigail behaved like she didn't understand Dominic's behavior - although she obviously knew "that part of his past" (someone told her personally).
So, I skimmed and skipped most of the book. It was my second by the author. I rated The Course of True Love a bit higher, although I don't remember it at all. I am not sure when and if I will give Betty Neels another try.
August 22, 2018
Saturday's child works hard for a living... The old saying certainly applies to Nurse Abigail Trent.
This book started out great but as I read I found Professor Dominic van Wijkelen a little to hard and didn't seem to warm up to the end of the book, the fact he never paid Abigail either got under my skin and most of the ladies in Betty Books are head strong and look after themselves but not Abigail, she let the professor walk all over her.
This book started out great but as I read I found Professor Dominic van Wijkelen a little to hard and didn't seem to warm up to the end of the book, the fact he never paid Abigail either got under my skin and most of the ladies in Betty Books are head strong and look after themselves but not Abigail, she let the professor walk all over her.
August 25, 2023
Rich Dutch Doctor: "Take two early Betty Neels with a little Horlicks, and you'll feel better in the morning."
December 19, 2018
What a horrid husband he'd be
I'd have made him grovel a lot longer and more painfully if it were me. Seriously, what a spoiled jerk.
I'd have made him grovel a lot longer and more painfully if it were me. Seriously, what a spoiled jerk.
January 27, 2021
I've read two Betty Neels books in the past week and remember why I no longer read her books.
There was no chemistry between the two main characters, Abigail was constantly putting herself down as did the majority of the other characters, including the so-called hero. Dominic had no redeeming qualities, sometimes kind to Abby, most of the time either ignoring her or insulting her, then expects her to know how he "really" feels about her.
Re-read 07/29/2018
I liked it much better on the second read, seeing things that I hadn't seen the first time around- how Dominic was fighting his feelings for Abigail which showed in his coldness one time, kindness the next.
There was no chemistry between the two main characters, Abigail was constantly putting herself down as did the majority of the other characters, including the so-called hero. Dominic had no redeeming qualities, sometimes kind to Abby, most of the time either ignoring her or insulting her, then expects her to know how he "really" feels about her.
Re-read 07/29/2018
I liked it much better on the second read, seeing things that I hadn't seen the first time around- how Dominic was fighting his feelings for Abigail which showed in his coldness one time, kindness the next.
November 24, 2023
5 happy stars to this delightful offering from Neels. The heroine may be down on her luck but she's plucky and keeps moving forward. The RDD, short-tempered and rather crabby at work, actually has a decent reason for the way he behaves at first. I liked that he struggles with his feelings for the girl but never plays games or tries to hide things from her. Add in a faithful old retainer, a rescued kitten and visits to the interiors of several interesting houses, and you have a pleasant way to spend a rainy afternoon. Tea with Betty. How nice. :)
If you enjoy Neel's books join the conversation at the GR group Betty Neels Fanatics. See you there.
If you enjoy Neel's books join the conversation at the GR group Betty Neels Fanatics. See you there.
March 1, 2024
Abigail must work for her living as a nurse, but she doesn't mind all the people it brings her into contact with - especially doctor Dominic, who is sweet with all his patients but strangely gruff when it comes to her.
This short book packs a lot in its pages, and I was utterly charmed by so-called 'plain' Abigail, with her quiet grit and tireless nature. Normal I don't love the kind of hero who hates all women because he's been burned by one, but Dominic is more wary than hateful so I didn't mind it. Their courtship is super cute, and the various supporting characters and the Dutch setting bring a warm, comforting tone to the story.
But the matter of the money! Dominic and others forget a number of times to pay Abigail her wages, and it becomes rather tiring to see her try to stay discreet on the topic when she's practically broke. And Dominic firing Abigail from the hospital in the bleak moment is awful of him, reminding you of for once the imbalance in their power dynamic.
This short book packs a lot in its pages, and I was utterly charmed by so-called 'plain' Abigail, with her quiet grit and tireless nature. Normal I don't love the kind of hero who hates all women because he's been burned by one, but Dominic is more wary than hateful so I didn't mind it. Their courtship is super cute, and the various supporting characters and the Dutch setting bring a warm, comforting tone to the story.
But the matter of the money! Dominic and others forget a number of times to pay Abigail her wages, and it becomes rather tiring to see her try to stay discreet on the topic when she's practically broke. And Dominic firing Abigail from the hospital in the bleak moment is awful of him, reminding you of for once the imbalance in their power dynamic.
July 28, 2021
4.5
The ending was very brief. No grovel (at all), but i enjoyed the angst. The main angst was mostly the forgotten salaries. LOL. The first time he forgot was still ok, but not only once he send her away without money.
He is a professor, shouldnt he has a brain to remember small things? Arghhh… *tearing my hair out*
The ending was very brief. No grovel (at all), but i enjoyed the angst. The main angst was mostly the forgotten salaries. LOL. The first time he forgot was still ok, but not only once he send her away without money.
He is a professor, shouldnt he has a brain to remember small things? Arghhh… *tearing my hair out*
April 11, 2018
3.5*
I feel so sad for The Orphan Annie...I mean Abby! All that lack of money and living from pay cheque to pay cheque freaked me out! Poor girl was not paid her wages on time, with the Professor being the biggest culprit! But
I totally get Abby, I too would be too shy to ask to be paid, even though I was entitled. Especially for Abby to ask for money from Dominic, it'd be excruciating...
The way she'd give to others first showed how kind and selfless she was. Domonic was so kind to bring Bolly back to Amsterdam; right then I knew he felt something for Abby, but did he really have to show her his mean face by default from the first meeting? When Abby called him out saying she knew he disliked her, he was so surprised and shocked...poor Abby was right to be confused by his freeze-warming smile treatment! Calling her Nurse Trent and Abigail interchangeably for no reason, only saying he "forgot"; forgot what, wondered Abby. Well forgot to be cynical about mercenary young women!
Dominic's clumsy first kiss with Abby was so endearing and sweet! Wonder on whom did he practise to have improved by the second kiss?!
Whenever Abby worried about money and her future, I worried right along with her! Wondering when Dominic would remember to pay her, but his mind was so muddled by her it's obviously the last thing he remembered! I think being so wealthy, he could not imagine someone living from hand to mouth like Abby! He was a Coutts client - the Royal private bankers!!! When she lost weight and went hungry because she had not much to pay for meals in the hospital, yet could spare the money to buy pastries as treats for Mrs Macklin, my heart was sore for her! Yet she always remained strong and optimistic, upholding the pragmatism BN heroines epitomise!
We were treated to SIX pages of love declaration and proposal, what a treat! Implied conjugal relations, having to endeavour to give Bolly the children he was so splendid with LOL. He grovelled nicely and was horrified he did not pay the wages she was owed thus driving her here to work for 2 guldens per hour. Never was another BN novel so full of money talk! Very interesting for me.
Dominic's sis Odilia and Dirk her husband sound so familiar, I think they made cameo appearances in a later book.
I feel so sad for The Orphan Annie...I mean Abby! All that lack of money and living from pay cheque to pay cheque freaked me out! Poor girl was not paid her wages on time, with the Professor being the biggest culprit! But
I totally get Abby, I too would be too shy to ask to be paid, even though I was entitled. Especially for Abby to ask for money from Dominic, it'd be excruciating...
The way she'd give to others first showed how kind and selfless she was. Domonic was so kind to bring Bolly back to Amsterdam; right then I knew he felt something for Abby, but did he really have to show her his mean face by default from the first meeting? When Abby called him out saying she knew he disliked her, he was so surprised and shocked...poor Abby was right to be confused by his freeze-warming smile treatment! Calling her Nurse Trent and Abigail interchangeably for no reason, only saying he "forgot"; forgot what, wondered Abby. Well forgot to be cynical about mercenary young women!
Dominic's clumsy first kiss with Abby was so endearing and sweet! Wonder on whom did he practise to have improved by the second kiss?!
Whenever Abby worried about money and her future, I worried right along with her! Wondering when Dominic would remember to pay her, but his mind was so muddled by her it's obviously the last thing he remembered! I think being so wealthy, he could not imagine someone living from hand to mouth like Abby! He was a Coutts client - the Royal private bankers!!! When she lost weight and went hungry because she had not much to pay for meals in the hospital, yet could spare the money to buy pastries as treats for Mrs Macklin, my heart was sore for her! Yet she always remained strong and optimistic, upholding the pragmatism BN heroines epitomise!
We were treated to SIX pages of love declaration and proposal, what a treat! Implied conjugal relations, having to endeavour to give Bolly the children he was so splendid with LOL. He grovelled nicely and was horrified he did not pay the wages she was owed thus driving her here to work for 2 guldens per hour. Never was another BN novel so full of money talk! Very interesting for me.
Dominic's sis Odilia and Dirk her husband sound so familiar, I think they made cameo appearances in a later book.
April 21, 2016
One of Betty Neels Besr
Well written, it's a story that will keep you interested for it's entire length. Note again Betty Neels apt descriptions not only of medical procedures but of her characters, especially children!
Well written, it's a story that will keep you interested for it's entire length. Note again Betty Neels apt descriptions not only of medical procedures but of her characters, especially children!
December 6, 2017
did i ruined this book by reading it during midterms?
the story was good and all but it wasn't the type i enjoy, i blame collage really, it didn't let me enjoy the reading. but this book was suggested by my aunt ❤ so thank you x
the story was good and all but it wasn't the type i enjoy, i blame collage really, it didn't let me enjoy the reading. but this book was suggested by my aunt ❤ so thank you x
October 5, 2009
School has started and I've hardly any time to read. Betty Neels are perfect for when I do have 5 minutes, because they are so easy to pick up and put down.
March 8, 2019
A Neels favorite! Reviewed on bloggery
April 11, 2019
I just discovered in this book that when Betty Neels describe the h as plump, she means that she has a bombshell body and not really plump. 😞
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2019
#12. I enjoyed this one despite Dominic's lengthy distrust of women. 15 years after being used by his first and late wife he is still reluctant to have a relationship... until Abigail enters his life. Then he finds all kinds of private nursing jobs to keep her close, finally allowing himself to see she is worth trusting.
Abigail is long suffering having ended up almost penniless after her father's and then her mother's deaths and people forgetting to pay her.
The suspense of when he'd snap out of it keep me reading til midnight.
Abigail is long suffering having ended up almost penniless after her father's and then her mother's deaths and people forgetting to pay her.
The suspense of when he'd snap out of it keep me reading til midnight.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2019
Why on earth did Abigail fall in love with this groveling man at all? They were driving for days in a car and he did not talk to her at all. Way to charm a gal, I suppose. I am fond of a good Jane Eyre story, but where Rochester comes out as a person of interest, Dominik is just meh. The book also goes to lengths about explaining what our characters are eating and drinking at anyone time. It gets boring, I'm afraid.
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