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The Fifth Day of Christmas
Snowed-in somewhere in Scotland with the disturbing Ivo van den Werff, Julia Pennyfeather is in a predicament. Despite their attraction, Ivo makes it clear he already has a woman in his life. But neither of them reckon on the magic of Christmas.
219 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1971
87 people are currently reading
256 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 53 reviews
August 29, 2013
Once again I find that I'm not too tired to state HOW MUCH I FUCKIN' LOVE BETTY NEELS. (Excuse the language.) This book has to be one of my favourites by her. It was just so beautiful!!
Even the OW was so amazingly evil.
How I love this sweet anguish Betty puts us readers through! And anguish it definitely was! Throughout the entire book I was like
She was honestly one of Betty's best efforts at penning an OW. So wonderfully devious and
evil!!
Now I'll move onto the heroine, Julia. To say I was surprised when I found out that she was breathtaking-ly pretty is an understatement.
I had to go back and read it again just to make sure that I'd read it right. Then I wondered how this was going to work out. Usually Betty Neels' heroines are 'mousy' and plain, and the OWs are beautiful and eye-catching. This time the heroine was the eye-catching one (not that the OW wasn't, she was just as eye-catching, but that's beside the point ATM). I so completely didn't want a self-centred, puffed up heroine, not from Betty Neels! So I was really wary. But I needn't have worried. Because not only did Betty do an amazing job with this heroine, but Julia has to be my most favourite out of all her heroines. THAT IS HOW MUCH I LIKED HER.
I really loved how Julia was able to stand up for herself, all the while being such a sweet and lovable heroine. She knew how to give it back good, she had some fire in her, this one! She wasn't a total doormat in front of the OW or the hero. I had to hold in my loud cheers at her fiery retorts at times.
Despite all that, she didn't let her feelings get in the way. She was practical, professional and yet managed to come off as feminine. I loved her.
As for the hero, he wasn't my most favourite of BN's heroes (dear old Tyco still has that honour) but God DAMMIT, BN's RDDs FTW.
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The reader knows at once that he's smitten with the heroine right from the beginning, although he keeps us on our toes with his affectionate and understanding behaviour towards Marcia, the bitch (aka OW). I loved the part at the ending where he
This one was all in all an amazing read. I loved it so very much, this one's a special one. And once again, Betty outdid herself with the wonderful descriptions of the scenery and the food. *sigh* How I love this woman.
Data:
Author: Betty Neels
Type: Romance, Harlequin, Vintage
Setting:
Time: 1970's
Place(s): Scotland; near Newcastle, England; London, Holland; between Tilburg and Oisterwijk
Characters:
Heroine: Julia Pennyfeather, Age: 22, Occupation: Nurse
Hero: Ivo van dee Werff, Age: almost 30, Occupation: doctor; anaesthesist,
Specific to BN:
Hero's special manner/conduct: hooded eyes
Food: Can't, for the life of me, remember
Even the OW was so amazingly evil.
How I love this sweet anguish Betty puts us readers through! And anguish it definitely was! Throughout the entire book I was like
She was honestly one of Betty's best efforts at penning an OW. So wonderfully devious and
evil!!
Now I'll move onto the heroine, Julia. To say I was surprised when I found out that she was breathtaking-ly pretty is an understatement.
I had to go back and read it again just to make sure that I'd read it right. Then I wondered how this was going to work out. Usually Betty Neels' heroines are 'mousy' and plain, and the OWs are beautiful and eye-catching. This time the heroine was the eye-catching one (not that the OW wasn't, she was just as eye-catching, but that's beside the point ATM). I so completely didn't want a self-centred, puffed up heroine, not from Betty Neels! So I was really wary. But I needn't have worried. Because not only did Betty do an amazing job with this heroine, but Julia has to be my most favourite out of all her heroines. THAT IS HOW MUCH I LIKED HER.
I really loved how Julia was able to stand up for herself, all the while being such a sweet and lovable heroine. She knew how to give it back good, she had some fire in her, this one! She wasn't a total doormat in front of the OW or the hero. I had to hold in my loud cheers at her fiery retorts at times.
Despite all that, she didn't let her feelings get in the way. She was practical, professional and yet managed to come off as feminine. I loved her.
As for the hero, he wasn't my most favourite of BN's heroes (dear old Tyco still has that honour) but God DAMMIT, BN's RDDs FTW.
[image error]
The reader knows at once that he's smitten with the heroine right from the beginning, although he keeps us on our toes with his affectionate and understanding behaviour towards Marcia, the bitch (aka OW). I loved the part at the ending where he
This one was all in all an amazing read. I loved it so very much, this one's a special one. And once again, Betty outdid herself with the wonderful descriptions of the scenery and the food. *sigh* How I love this woman.
Data:
Author: Betty Neels
Type: Romance, Harlequin, Vintage
Setting:
Time: 1970's
Place(s): Scotland; near Newcastle, England; London, Holland; between Tilburg and Oisterwijk
Characters:
Heroine: Julia Pennyfeather, Age: 22, Occupation: Nurse
Hero: Ivo van dee Werff, Age: almost 30, Occupation: doctor; anaesthesist,
Specific to BN:
Hero's special manner/conduct: hooded eyes
Food: Can't, for the life of me, remember
January 8, 2025
Marcia was so irritating. Ivo and Julia were great! I liked the beginning the best in Scotland when they’re snowed in.
September 9, 2013
4 1/2 Stars ~ Having traveled by ambulance, Julia is a nurse who accompanied a teen back to her home, a day's ride out of London. The girl is a diabetic in recovery from surgery a few weeks before. They arrive in the middle of a snowstorm, the power and telephone out, and no one home except an elderly man who looks after the house. Ivo is the youngest Betty Neels hero I've read to date at 'nearly thirty years old'. He's just completed a six month course in Edinburgh, and is on his way to London, when he's caught in a snowstorm, and forced to stop at a country estate to seek shelter. It's Julia, in a dressing gown, who answers his knock and he angrily chastises her for opening the door off it's chain to a stranger, asking what if he'd been armed with a shotgun. She makes him laugh with her quick, “Don’t be absurd—who’d be out on a night like this with a shotgun?” Julia wakes Ivo in the middle of the night to go and get help, as her patient has taken a bad turn, and he surprises her when he announces that he's a doctor. Isolated for several days, they form a friendship.
When Ivo learns that she gave up her position at the hospital and is on her way to her brother's home where she'll be helping her sister-in-law after the birth of their latest child. She doesn't really want to go, but didn't know how to refuse her domineering brother. Ivo offers her a job in Holland as a private nurse for a young woman who is staying with his family. Ivo hedges when she asks about the woman, but later learns from Ivo's sister that Marcia and Ivo had dated and while attending a party he had convinced her to attend, she'd come in contact with a polio carrier, and was hospitalized. With Ivo committed to the course in Edinburgh, Marcia went to stay with his family (his father also a doctor) to convalesce. But it's been six months and while Marcia should be fully recovered, she's not. When Julia meets her, it's instant dislike and she wonders just how much of her illness is put on to make her appear frail. Marcia's a very clever woman and she uses Ivo's guilt to hold him, as before her illness they had had an understanding that one day they would marry. Julia hates the hold Marcia seems to have and while she can't prove she's faking she uses her own clever mind to push the woman into a more rapid recovery.
I'm always amazed at the details in a Betty Neels --- how she's thought out every circumstance. Ivo definitely doesn't want to end his acquaintance with Julia, his need of an English nurse may be contrived, but as Marcia had refused to learn Dutch, it made sense to hire a nurse from England. Julia is a constant surprise to him, and he finds it endearing how she seems to trust him implicitly. He's a young man and not as life experienced as other Betty Neels heroes, and this is his particular charm. It takes some delicate prodding on Julia's part to get him to open his eyes on Marcia's deceit, which it turns out he wasn't all that blind too. Julia is a delightful heroine, with a generous heart and a quick temper. When Ivo upsets her, she lets him know it. Theirs is a very satisfying HEA.
When Ivo learns that she gave up her position at the hospital and is on her way to her brother's home where she'll be helping her sister-in-law after the birth of their latest child. She doesn't really want to go, but didn't know how to refuse her domineering brother. Ivo offers her a job in Holland as a private nurse for a young woman who is staying with his family. Ivo hedges when she asks about the woman, but later learns from Ivo's sister that Marcia and Ivo had dated and while attending a party he had convinced her to attend, she'd come in contact with a polio carrier, and was hospitalized. With Ivo committed to the course in Edinburgh, Marcia went to stay with his family (his father also a doctor) to convalesce. But it's been six months and while Marcia should be fully recovered, she's not. When Julia meets her, it's instant dislike and she wonders just how much of her illness is put on to make her appear frail. Marcia's a very clever woman and she uses Ivo's guilt to hold him, as before her illness they had had an understanding that one day they would marry. Julia hates the hold Marcia seems to have and while she can't prove she's faking she uses her own clever mind to push the woman into a more rapid recovery.
I'm always amazed at the details in a Betty Neels --- how she's thought out every circumstance. Ivo definitely doesn't want to end his acquaintance with Julia, his need of an English nurse may be contrived, but as Marcia had refused to learn Dutch, it made sense to hire a nurse from England. Julia is a constant surprise to him, and he finds it endearing how she seems to trust him implicitly. He's a young man and not as life experienced as other Betty Neels heroes, and this is his particular charm. It takes some delicate prodding on Julia's part to get him to open his eyes on Marcia's deceit, which it turns out he wasn't all that blind too. Julia is a delightful heroine, with a generous heart and a quick temper. When Ivo upsets her, she lets him know it. Theirs is a very satisfying HEA.
September 21, 2013
This book is a bit different than the majority of other Betty Neels' books. I felt the lead female character was a Virgo.
January 31, 2018
Julia Pennyfeather is a nurse who is accompanies a patient to the patient's home in Scotland via ambulance. The weather changes from clouds to fog to freezing fog to snow to a blizzard. The ambulance men are snowbound, the expected nurse doesn't show and they are stranded. Late in the evening, the doorbell is rung and Julia opens the door to a handsome blond man of about 30. He immediately scolds her for opening the door to a stranger.
He is Ivo van den Werff, a Dutch doctor going home from Edinburgh and getting lost in the snow. Over the next few days, they all are forced to band together during the snowstorm with no telephone or electricity, along with diminishing food supplies.
Ivo and Julia are instantly attracted to each other and once they begin to make preparations to leave. Ivo asks Julia to go with him to Holland and nurse a young woman staying at his home. She is recovering from polio.
Julia very much wants to see more of Ivo so she accepts. But once they arrive at his home, the situation is rather awkward. Marcia Jason, her patient, is apparently in love with Ivo and generally acts as though they are practically, if not officially, engaged. Ivo mostly ignores the situation.
Marcia is the typical Veronica with one added nuance; she is very smart, but she is boring with it. She's also obnoxious to Julia and constantly making remarks about Julia being fat or being a "big girl."
Meanwhile, Ivo takes Julia out on a couple of occasions and kisses her and acts like he's in love with her. However, when his sister says anything vaguely derogatory about Marcia, Ivo gets angry. On one occasion Julia sees Ivo come out of a jewelry store with a small box, and she assumes it's a ring for Marcia.
But Marcia has been seeing another man behind Ivo's back. She admits to Julia that she isn't in love with Ivo and doesn't want to marry him, but that she will make sure Julia can't have him either.
However, Ivo isn't quite as blind as Marcia thinks. Ivo has a talk with de Winter, who agrees he will pick Marcia up from Ivo's home, Ivo is off to find Julia, who has sneaked away quietly to return to England. He stops by the woods where she had gotten lost and proposes. "I lost my heart when you opened the door at Drumlochie House and told me in your lovely voice to hurry up and come in out of the cold. My Julia, I've not been cold since because you warm me with your sweetness and gaiety and beauty."
During previous readings, I had gained the impression that the Holland portion of the book was somehow lesser. I don't feel that way now. The second half is although different quite as good as the first. One of TGB's best! 5 stars.
He is Ivo van den Werff, a Dutch doctor going home from Edinburgh and getting lost in the snow. Over the next few days, they all are forced to band together during the snowstorm with no telephone or electricity, along with diminishing food supplies.
Ivo and Julia are instantly attracted to each other and once they begin to make preparations to leave. Ivo asks Julia to go with him to Holland and nurse a young woman staying at his home. She is recovering from polio.
Julia very much wants to see more of Ivo so she accepts. But once they arrive at his home, the situation is rather awkward. Marcia Jason, her patient, is apparently in love with Ivo and generally acts as though they are practically, if not officially, engaged. Ivo mostly ignores the situation.
Marcia is the typical Veronica with one added nuance; she is very smart, but she is boring with it. She's also obnoxious to Julia and constantly making remarks about Julia being fat or being a "big girl."
Meanwhile, Ivo takes Julia out on a couple of occasions and kisses her and acts like he's in love with her. However, when his sister says anything vaguely derogatory about Marcia, Ivo gets angry. On one occasion Julia sees Ivo come out of a jewelry store with a small box, and she assumes it's a ring for Marcia.
But Marcia has been seeing another man behind Ivo's back. She admits to Julia that she isn't in love with Ivo and doesn't want to marry him, but that she will make sure Julia can't have him either.
However, Ivo isn't quite as blind as Marcia thinks. Ivo has a talk with de Winter, who agrees he will pick Marcia up from Ivo's home, Ivo is off to find Julia, who has sneaked away quietly to return to England. He stops by the woods where she had gotten lost and proposes. "I lost my heart when you opened the door at Drumlochie House and told me in your lovely voice to hurry up and come in out of the cold. My Julia, I've not been cold since because you warm me with your sweetness and gaiety and beauty."
During previous readings, I had gained the impression that the Holland portion of the book was somehow lesser. I don't feel that way now. The second half is although different quite as good as the first. One of TGB's best! 5 stars.
July 16, 2013
I would rate this 3.5 stars. Julia is one of the more interesting heroines that BN has penned. She is young, feisty, beautiful, quirky yet lovable. She makes incredibly selfless decisions, yet is never downtrodden and gives as good as she gets!
The secondary characters (sister and father) added dimension to the story and the evil OW was quite evil. She was a nasty, self centered, jealous, vindictive, two timing shrew. I just loved to see her in action. They don't come better than this.
What disappointed me though, was Ivo's logic and that caused me to deduct stars. For the life of me, I could not figure out what "guilted" him into keeping OW around. His inability to bounce OW out on her "keester" lessened him and almost cost him his HEA.
Thankfully, BN's always saves those last pages in the story to give him the opportunity to redeem himself. But for me it was a "day late and a dollar short".
The secondary characters (sister and father) added dimension to the story and the evil OW was quite evil. She was a nasty, self centered, jealous, vindictive, two timing shrew. I just loved to see her in action. They don't come better than this.
What disappointed me though, was Ivo's logic and that caused me to deduct stars. For the life of me, I could not figure out what "guilted" him into keeping OW around. His inability to bounce OW out on her "keester" lessened him and almost cost him his HEA.
Thankfully, BN's always saves those last pages in the story to give him the opportunity to redeem himself. But for me it was a "day late and a dollar short".
November 27, 2010
This fairly early Neels is first rate all the way. Nurse Julia Pennyfeather is just wonderful--not a mouse, not a shrew--but one of Neels' most well-balanced young women. Dr Ivo van den Werff is, I believe, the youngest RDD (rich Dutch doctor) that Neels has given us. He's a mere child of 30, instead of pushing 40. Oh my, and he and Julia get on quite well. There is, of course, a fly in their soup of happiness--Marcia Jensen. Once again, a well developed character; dear Marcia is a great 'other woman'.
It is great watching Ivo get her measure. For once we have a Neels hero who is NOT oblivious to what the 'other woman' is up to. Nor does Julia let herself be pushed around by Marcia.
We get added in bonuses in Ivo's father and sister, both absolutely delightful
Just absolutely lovely all the way around.
It is great watching Ivo get her measure. For once we have a Neels hero who is NOT oblivious to what the 'other woman' is up to. Nor does Julia let herself be pushed around by Marcia.
We get added in bonuses in Ivo's father and sister, both absolutely delightful
Just absolutely lovely all the way around.
December 31, 2021
Hmmmm.... not your average Betty here.
1. the h is really good looking
2. she doesn't have an evil sister... but she does have a boring brother that we never meet.
3. the OM is hardly mentioned and never met.
BUT... the H is a doctor and he is Dutch.
Bad weather strands Julia at some kind of care facility with no electricity and a sick patient. But in the middle of the night she opens the door to a Doctor who has lost his way in the storm.
You can tell that Ivo is smitten with julia right from the start, but he has quasi obligations to a snooty b*tch back at home. He manages to convince Julia to come back home with him to help nurse the snooty b*tch, Marcia back to health after her mild case of polio.
It doesn't take long for the reader to have Marcia's measure and Julia is no fool. But we're dealing with old school sensibilities, where things are 'understood' and don't need to be spoken aloud because that would be ever so crass!
So two things stopped this from being one of my fave BN reads;
1. there's a horrible car accident where . This is just not want I was expecting from a BN book and frankly something I would normally avoid having to read about!!!
2. Marcia is such a large part of the story. I don't mind BN OWs but that's because they normally just show up a few times and only briefly. Even when they are the sister, they don't normally dominate the story like Marcia does. And of course she never gets any comeuppance.
So just 3 stars but I still enjoyed it for the most part.
I often consider putting books written in the 70's under 'historical fiction'. I mean Polio???
Safety is good
1. the h is really good looking
2. she doesn't have an evil sister... but she does have a boring brother that we never meet.
3. the OM is hardly mentioned and never met.
BUT... the H is a doctor and he is Dutch.
Bad weather strands Julia at some kind of care facility with no electricity and a sick patient. But in the middle of the night she opens the door to a Doctor who has lost his way in the storm.
You can tell that Ivo is smitten with julia right from the start, but he has quasi obligations to a snooty b*tch back at home. He manages to convince Julia to come back home with him to help nurse the snooty b*tch, Marcia back to health after her mild case of polio.
It doesn't take long for the reader to have Marcia's measure and Julia is no fool. But we're dealing with old school sensibilities, where things are 'understood' and don't need to be spoken aloud because that would be ever so crass!
So two things stopped this from being one of my fave BN reads;
1. there's a horrible car accident where . This is just not want I was expecting from a BN book and frankly something I would normally avoid having to read about!!!
2. Marcia is such a large part of the story. I don't mind BN OWs but that's because they normally just show up a few times and only briefly. Even when they are the sister, they don't normally dominate the story like Marcia does. And of course she never gets any comeuppance.
So just 3 stars but I still enjoyed it for the most part.
I often consider putting books written in the 70's under 'historical fiction'. I mean Polio???
Safety is good
November 28, 2023
Re-reading this I had to give it another star. I loved the practical heroine who could nurse a fractious patient and whip up breakfast during a blizzard. I liked that out hero dropped hints about his feelings all along and had a sense of humor about his predicament. And I really liked that when the OW tried to manipulate our heroine she called her on it - more than once. Add in lots of snow and Christmas in Holland, and this is a fun book.
NB - If you enjoy Neel's books join the conversation at the GR group Betty Neels Fanatics. See you there!
NB - If you enjoy Neel's books join the conversation at the GR group Betty Neels Fanatics. See you there!
October 19, 2018
I don't think cd players, active cases of polio, and ladies wearing bonnets with their coats occur in the same time period, do they??
Read
December 12, 2022Published in 1971, this was Betty Neels’ eighth book, with more than a hundred to follow. Already, she has her formula down, with minor variation. Yet someone edited the content, replacing the record player of 1971 with a cd player. Better to leave it be —no meddling needed.
Anyway, as amazing as it sounds, Julia is a young beautiful British nurse and Ivo a Dutch doctor — but only 29! We begin with a blizzardy snowstorm, stranded in a cold Scottish manor house, near the border. No phone, no light, no motor car. A three day emergency. But Julia can bake bread from scratch. Natch. And when Dr. Ivo shows up at midnight, stranded in the storm, she is happy to let him in, and he is happy to do his part — doctoring a diabetic and shoveling.
This adventure is followed by a multiple car pile up on the M-1 interstate as Doctor Dutch drives British to London. Nasty nasty crash.
Then it’s off to Holland, to help mendacious Marcia — a boney brilliant braggart — recover from a mild case of polio. Marcia is the other woman, and a calculating cold-hearted faker. HAHA! Anyway, this trip coincides with Christmas, and extends through the five days of Christmas, as the title indicates:
On the 2nd Day of Christmas polio strikes the schoolchildren and nurse Julia gives endless jabs in the arm.
On the 5th Day of Christmas :
Anyway, as amazing as it sounds, Julia is a young beautiful British nurse and Ivo a Dutch doctor — but only 29! We begin with a blizzardy snowstorm, stranded in a cold Scottish manor house, near the border. No phone, no light, no motor car. A three day emergency. But Julia can bake bread from scratch. Natch. And when Dr. Ivo shows up at midnight, stranded in the storm, she is happy to let him in, and he is happy to do his part — doctoring a diabetic and shoveling.
This adventure is followed by a multiple car pile up on the M-1 interstate as Doctor Dutch drives British to London. Nasty nasty crash.
Then it’s off to Holland, to help mendacious Marcia — a boney brilliant braggart — recover from a mild case of polio. Marcia is the other woman, and a calculating cold-hearted faker. HAHA! Anyway, this trip coincides with Christmas, and extends through the five days of Christmas, as the title indicates:
‘It’s Christmas Day, Julia—the first day of Christmas.’ He let her hands go and fished around in his pocket, to produce a small jeweller’s box of red leather and then lift her hand to curl the fingers round it. ‘I hope you’ll like it, dear Miss Pennyfeather.’
On the 2nd Day of Christmas polio strikes the schoolchildren and nurse Julia gives endless jabs in the arm.
On the 5th Day of Christmas :
‘The fifth day of Christmas,’ said Ivo. ‘You said once that five gold rings would be more than any girl could want and I said it was a way in which her true love could prove to her that he loved her.’This one was okay, but not amazing. I liked Ivo’s gregarious fun-loving family better than I liked him, and his dad was a kick! As for Julia, she just dumps her own family like that! Odd. Also, I didn’t like the scene in the last chapter when Julia and Marica are engaged in a verbal catfight, and Julia speaks up even louder, knowing Ivo is listening. Then Ivo is freezing cold to her, in front of Marcia. Ugh.
November 26, 2016
My critical sense flies out the window and perches on a Dutch elm when it comes to achieving perspective regarding Betty Neels ... I just love her so! And certainly this Christmas offering was everything you'd want from a Neels romance. The hero was a cypher Dutch doctor. He was big, capable, and a haven of solicitude, humour, and gruff affection for the heroine. Ivo and Julia are wonderful together, despite a nasty harpy of a rival. The food is perfect, Julia's pink wool dress is perfect for Christmas and one lovely "fifth day" carol works magic to bring the lovers together forever. If you'd like to read a more extensive review, please follow the link:
https://missbatesreadsromance.com/201...
I purchased the e-book and was gifted a paper copy by a friend.
https://missbatesreadsromance.com/201...
I purchased the e-book and was gifted a paper copy by a friend.
September 30, 2021
2.5/5
The story began well with heroine stranded on a house during a snowstorm and providing shelter to hero.But when they move to holland the story lost its charm, it was all about a women Marcia who was staying in hero Ivo’s house and heroine Julia employed as her nurse.
Marcia is taking advantage of Ivo and his family and pretending to be ill and she is secretly having affair with another man but the understanding is she and ivo will eventually marry. I found this whole concept bizarre and a dragfest. For me this was one of the few boring novels of Betty and can easily be skipped.
The story began well with heroine stranded on a house during a snowstorm and providing shelter to hero.But when they move to holland the story lost its charm, it was all about a women Marcia who was staying in hero Ivo’s house and heroine Julia employed as her nurse.
Marcia is taking advantage of Ivo and his family and pretending to be ill and she is secretly having affair with another man but the understanding is she and ivo will eventually marry. I found this whole concept bizarre and a dragfest. For me this was one of the few boring novels of Betty and can easily be skipped.
January 1, 2012
christmas AND betty neels...ya gotta love it.
February 5, 2014
This is one of the nicest of Betty Neel's stories in that the hero is extremely romantic at the end and gives meaning to the title.
Ivo is very obviously smitten by Julia when they are snowbound in Scotland at the beginning of the story but something is holding him back.
Julia discovers that it is Marcia Jensen, a woman Ivo dated prior to his six months course in Scotland. She caught Polio at a party she attended with him and is using that to keep him and his family in attendance.
It doesn't take very long for Julia to realise Marcia's game and she is frustrated that Ivo seems to believe everything Marcia says. Ivo has an interesting attitude to Marcia. He is unfailingly courteous and kind but he says more than once that everyone is surprised at her lack of progress. I suspect his chivalry makes it impossible for him to express any doubts about Marcia, especially feeling guilty as he does and believing her to be emotionally attached to him.
Julia is a feisty and very pretty heroine. These heroines appear more in the earlier Neel's stories. Ivo is a little different too, considerably younger than the average hero and perhaps that is why he is less certain about what to do about Marcia.
Mind you the tendency of Neel's heroes to devote their time to flirting or paying attention to other women while neglecting or being snarky to the heroine should have led to far more heroine's giving up and finding greener pastures.
But the romantic ending was one of the nicest so I forgive him.
Ivo is very obviously smitten by Julia when they are snowbound in Scotland at the beginning of the story but something is holding him back.
Julia discovers that it is Marcia Jensen, a woman Ivo dated prior to his six months course in Scotland. She caught Polio at a party she attended with him and is using that to keep him and his family in attendance.
It doesn't take very long for Julia to realise Marcia's game and she is frustrated that Ivo seems to believe everything Marcia says. Ivo has an interesting attitude to Marcia. He is unfailingly courteous and kind but he says more than once that everyone is surprised at her lack of progress. I suspect his chivalry makes it impossible for him to express any doubts about Marcia, especially feeling guilty as he does and believing her to be emotionally attached to him.
Julia is a feisty and very pretty heroine. These heroines appear more in the earlier Neel's stories. Ivo is a little different too, considerably younger than the average hero and perhaps that is why he is less certain about what to do about Marcia.
Mind you the tendency of Neel's heroes to devote their time to flirting or paying attention to other women while neglecting or being snarky to the heroine should have led to far more heroine's giving up and finding greener pastures.
But the romantic ending was one of the nicest so I forgive him.
Read
July 27, 2011Julia Pennyfeather is taking care of a young diabetic that had been seriously ill. Since she was leaving the hospital to care for her brother's wife while she had another baby, she was able to go to the girl's home with her. A severe snow storm stranded her and the ambulance drives at the home of her patient, without electricity or heat. With only an elderly caretaker in residence, Julia must stay.
In the middle of the night, she opens the door to a stranger, and after being reprimanded for this oversight, Dr. Ivo van den Werff sweeps in, stranded by the storm. Ivo hmself is fascinated by Julia. Wanting to spend more time with her, he offers her a position taking care of a friend who had contracted polio and needed someone to help her finally recover.
Julia takes the job, caring for Marcia, a conniving woman who had aken her illness, and used it to move in to the family home, working at convincing Ivo it was his fault she was sick and he owed her marriage.
A very sweet story.
In the middle of the night, she opens the door to a stranger, and after being reprimanded for this oversight, Dr. Ivo van den Werff sweeps in, stranded by the storm. Ivo hmself is fascinated by Julia. Wanting to spend more time with her, he offers her a position taking care of a friend who had contracted polio and needed someone to help her finally recover.
Julia takes the job, caring for Marcia, a conniving woman who had aken her illness, and used it to move in to the family home, working at convincing Ivo it was his fault she was sick and he owed her marriage.
A very sweet story.
July 12, 2011
A very enjoyable, old-fashioned, innocent romance novel. (No steamy love scenes.) I've read two others by the same author and while all of them seem to follow a similar formula, I found myself drawn into the story and the characters. Great for when you are looking for something quick and light to read.
July 11, 2010
This is one of the only ones I've read where the hero lived in the same house with his father. The Star Wars fan in me found it interesting that he called his father Vader. Maybe it's Dutch for father but still interesting.
December 21, 2010
The romance is a little dry but interesting. The settings and circumstances are exciting and interesting. There's a sort of love triangle (two maybe?) but the dominant male perservers and the not so submissive female comes into her own and finds love.
August 28, 2011
This was one of my absolute favorite Betty Neels.
February 19, 2013
A very sweet novel. I especially liked Julia, she had a lot of temper and wasn't afraid to speak her mind and sometimes snap at people.
April 19, 2014
Enjoyed the read though how a doctor could be so oblivious about the real state of a patient is beyond me.
September 27, 2020
A nice old fashioned romance story from M&B in the 1970s a typical Betty Neels story with a lovely heroine and a Dutch Doctor hero. Number 9 in my top 10 of betty neels novels.
December 31, 2024
One of Betty Neels' better books. I really enjoyed this one.
January 31, 2016
Standard Betty Neels sweet romance.
November 1, 2025
3.8 stars. this book was a fun read with an evil manipulative utterly repugnant other woman. what a creep she was.
this book features a 22 Yr old pretty nurse and a 29? year old Dutch doctor, a bit younger than Betty's other heroes. they meet near Scotland during a snowstorm when she gives him shelter for the night. he is struck by her beauty. they learn each others good qualities while they help each other out while snowbound and nursing an invalid and without much food or heat or help in an old isolated house.
ivo realises she has been manipulated by her selfish brother into giving up her nursing job to nurse her bros wife for free and she is dreading it. so ivo offers her a job nursing a friend in his family home in Holland, a young woman who is recovering from polio. she asks questions about this patient but he avoids them.
SPOILERS
The patient turns out to be a girl ivo was dating 10 months ago when she got ill and who is now intent on marrying ivo and has been leeching off his family for more than 6 months and pretending to be sicker than she is. and since ivo feels guilty about possibly being the one who exposed the girl to polio he feels trapped. he clearly likes our h but will his guilt and sense of duty win out and make him marry the ow?
some of the plot points irritated me utterly. I feel Ivo lied by ommision to get Julia to go to holland to nurse that evil cow and threw her into the deep end. utterly unforgivable. and julia forgave him too easily like all of Bettys heroines do, alas. but I guess that all was necessary for the plot to work or we wouldnt have had a story.
also, the plot didn't feel as rich in some ways as other Betty books which featured more of the heroines evil family members and her friends and help us to see the developing romance in a wider context. I guess what I was missing most here was a confidante or two or a supportive wise old character to be there for our heroine as that always adds great contrast. the book also didn't have ivo going around dating other women or show him much with his own friends and his own life, which helps highlight what a magnificent catch a Betty hero is. it was pretty much largely the h and H and evil other woman thrown in the deep and figuring stuff out.
on thr plus side, the book had plenty of action, with h getting lost in snowstorm and H searching for her for hours and being furious (with fear and love) when he finally found her. and h and H working side by side to prevent a polio outbreak in the local villages. etc. but something about it lacked the emotional depth of other Betty novels for me. it didn't quite rise to the level of magic as some others which is a pity because I had been expecting some major anguish. I would say any angst was mild because our h seemed to know right off that the ow was evil and unworthy and suspected H couldn't really love her.
I liked our h a lot. she wasn't arrogant even if she was one of Betty's big junoesque beauties. she had a great mix of vulnerability and pertness. she was able to speak out and defend herself when people were being mean to her. she tried to help ivo escape the clutches of the other woman in a subtle way without betraying her own code of ethics etc.
I liked ivo a lot at first during the Scotland snowbound bit in the first part of the book, but in the latter half his actions didn't really seem to match the depth his father said he had because we didn't see him doing anything on page to scupper the plotting of the evil ow. he didn't quite seem to rise to the challenge enough himself. he was almost a secondary character, a cookie cutter hero for the 2 women to hang their hopes and fristrations and conflict etc on.
it all came together quite nicely in the end and the ending was sweet with the expected third act breakdown of things with the h fleeing and the determined H coming after her.
a middle of the pack story for Betty. I was almost going to give this 3.8 stars or 4.2 stars, but in the end settled on 4. Hard to rate because it was an absorbing read and had good points, but didn't quite deliver some of what I was expecting. 3.8 might be nearer the mark of what I feel tbh. let me go and update that.
this book features a 22 Yr old pretty nurse and a 29? year old Dutch doctor, a bit younger than Betty's other heroes. they meet near Scotland during a snowstorm when she gives him shelter for the night. he is struck by her beauty. they learn each others good qualities while they help each other out while snowbound and nursing an invalid and without much food or heat or help in an old isolated house.
ivo realises she has been manipulated by her selfish brother into giving up her nursing job to nurse her bros wife for free and she is dreading it. so ivo offers her a job nursing a friend in his family home in Holland, a young woman who is recovering from polio. she asks questions about this patient but he avoids them.
SPOILERS
The patient turns out to be a girl ivo was dating 10 months ago when she got ill and who is now intent on marrying ivo and has been leeching off his family for more than 6 months and pretending to be sicker than she is. and since ivo feels guilty about possibly being the one who exposed the girl to polio he feels trapped. he clearly likes our h but will his guilt and sense of duty win out and make him marry the ow?
some of the plot points irritated me utterly. I feel Ivo lied by ommision to get Julia to go to holland to nurse that evil cow and threw her into the deep end. utterly unforgivable. and julia forgave him too easily like all of Bettys heroines do, alas. but I guess that all was necessary for the plot to work or we wouldnt have had a story.
also, the plot didn't feel as rich in some ways as other Betty books which featured more of the heroines evil family members and her friends and help us to see the developing romance in a wider context. I guess what I was missing most here was a confidante or two or a supportive wise old character to be there for our heroine as that always adds great contrast. the book also didn't have ivo going around dating other women or show him much with his own friends and his own life, which helps highlight what a magnificent catch a Betty hero is. it was pretty much largely the h and H and evil other woman thrown in the deep and figuring stuff out.
on thr plus side, the book had plenty of action, with h getting lost in snowstorm and H searching for her for hours and being furious (with fear and love) when he finally found her. and h and H working side by side to prevent a polio outbreak in the local villages. etc. but something about it lacked the emotional depth of other Betty novels for me. it didn't quite rise to the level of magic as some others which is a pity because I had been expecting some major anguish. I would say any angst was mild because our h seemed to know right off that the ow was evil and unworthy and suspected H couldn't really love her.
I liked our h a lot. she wasn't arrogant even if she was one of Betty's big junoesque beauties. she had a great mix of vulnerability and pertness. she was able to speak out and defend herself when people were being mean to her. she tried to help ivo escape the clutches of the other woman in a subtle way without betraying her own code of ethics etc.
I liked ivo a lot at first during the Scotland snowbound bit in the first part of the book, but in the latter half his actions didn't really seem to match the depth his father said he had because we didn't see him doing anything on page to scupper the plotting of the evil ow. he didn't quite seem to rise to the challenge enough himself. he was almost a secondary character, a cookie cutter hero for the 2 women to hang their hopes and fristrations and conflict etc on.
it all came together quite nicely in the end and the ending was sweet with the expected third act breakdown of things with the h fleeing and the determined H coming after her.
a middle of the pack story for Betty. I was almost going to give this 3.8 stars or 4.2 stars, but in the end settled on 4. Hard to rate because it was an absorbing read and had good points, but didn't quite deliver some of what I was expecting. 3.8 might be nearer the mark of what I feel tbh. let me go and update that.
December 18, 2022
3+
Doing some Betty rereading here at the end of the year, closing the gap to make my reading goal, revisiting TGB books read long before GR and therefore never added here, chose winter-and-Christmas themed titles.
How I think of this one: The lovely snowed-in forced intimacy and domesticity and all the rest uneven.
I can't say this is a Greater for me. There's far too much goodness at the start that makes the rest feel dreadfully slow in comparison. And I do understand there's a metaphorical point to this--the leads talk about the unreal, magical world and spark they could easily feel in that suspension of being snowed in, and then they must return to the reality--but that doesn't rescue the back 3/4ths from being a bit of a slog.
There's also much too much Marcia (the other woman villain Veronica gumming up the works), and an RDD who is far too slow to come around. This RDD is 'young' for our venerable Betty, although his characterization is no different. A thread of being intellectual (equal to, not complementary of, a man) is a bad thing, which is grating; and a moment of teeth-rattling shaking which is also unusual for Betty. He kisses her several times as well, many many times for a TGB book, at moments Julia can explain away, but also in moments that are outright contradictory or careless and always making more of a mixed-muddle than the few Swooping Kisses other books allow.
Ivo has a lovely family and set-up, however, so that makes it easier to endure as Julia runs the wickets to her happy ending.
I always want this one to be better, and it's because I remember it by its delightful start and memory hole Marcia and the tiresome rest.
Quick notes as I read:
-- Less a fan of the Olivia than the Araminta plots, and Juila is definitely an Olivia
-- Stuck together in a snowstorm in a mansion, Julia arriving in an ambulance with her patient and the two drivers, Ivo arriving later after becoming lost and seeking shelter, and they all must make the best of no power or phones and dwindling supplies for the next while
-- She agrees to special a patient for Ivo
-- Terrible motorway crash! TGB sanguine bloodthirstiness in full evidence. Julia and Ivo doctor and nurse the emergency situation
-- The person to be nursed is horrid, the problem to be solved, the block, the other woman (no bosom and rail thin)
-- Ivo insists on repeating his great regard for Marcia (rail thin and no bosom), and Julia makes all the worst-case conclusions
-- Ivo more hot and cold than others, and when Julia finally reaches her breaking point, she's chided and then feels bad when no, you tell 'em, Marcia is awful (with no bosom to speak of and quite uncurvaciously thin) and Ivo deserves the misery of her if that's what he chooses
-- Five gold rings isn't extravagant if he loves her and wants to show it
-- She gets lost on a walk and he's in a fine rage when he finds her, our dawning realization arriving full force
-- Mass polio vaxx!
-- Marcia's claws come out, Julia runs away in a huff (which I hate), but it's charming Ivo collects Julia again at the bus stop
-- Sweet ending, with the not-extravagant-because-he-loves-her five gold rings
Doing some Betty rereading here at the end of the year, closing the gap to make my reading goal, revisiting TGB books read long before GR and therefore never added here, chose winter-and-Christmas themed titles.
How I think of this one: The lovely snowed-in forced intimacy and domesticity and all the rest uneven.
I can't say this is a Greater for me. There's far too much goodness at the start that makes the rest feel dreadfully slow in comparison. And I do understand there's a metaphorical point to this--the leads talk about the unreal, magical world and spark they could easily feel in that suspension of being snowed in, and then they must return to the reality--but that doesn't rescue the back 3/4ths from being a bit of a slog.
There's also much too much Marcia (the other woman villain Veronica gumming up the works), and an RDD who is far too slow to come around. This RDD is 'young' for our venerable Betty, although his characterization is no different. A thread of being intellectual (equal to, not complementary of, a man) is a bad thing, which is grating; and a moment of teeth-rattling shaking which is also unusual for Betty. He kisses her several times as well, many many times for a TGB book, at moments Julia can explain away, but also in moments that are outright contradictory or careless and always making more of a mixed-muddle than the few Swooping Kisses other books allow.
Ivo has a lovely family and set-up, however, so that makes it easier to endure as Julia runs the wickets to her happy ending.
I always want this one to be better, and it's because I remember it by its delightful start and memory hole Marcia and the tiresome rest.
Quick notes as I read:
-- Less a fan of the Olivia than the Araminta plots, and Juila is definitely an Olivia
-- Stuck together in a snowstorm in a mansion, Julia arriving in an ambulance with her patient and the two drivers, Ivo arriving later after becoming lost and seeking shelter, and they all must make the best of no power or phones and dwindling supplies for the next while
-- She agrees to special a patient for Ivo
-- Terrible motorway crash! TGB sanguine bloodthirstiness in full evidence. Julia and Ivo doctor and nurse the emergency situation
-- The person to be nursed is horrid, the problem to be solved, the block, the other woman (no bosom and rail thin)
-- Ivo insists on repeating his great regard for Marcia (rail thin and no bosom), and Julia makes all the worst-case conclusions
-- Ivo more hot and cold than others, and when Julia finally reaches her breaking point, she's chided and then feels bad when no, you tell 'em, Marcia is awful (with no bosom to speak of and quite uncurvaciously thin) and Ivo deserves the misery of her if that's what he chooses
-- Five gold rings isn't extravagant if he loves her and wants to show it
-- She gets lost on a walk and he's in a fine rage when he finds her, our dawning realization arriving full force
-- Mass polio vaxx!
-- Marcia's claws come out, Julia runs away in a huff (which I hate), but it's charming Ivo collects Julia again at the bus stop
-- Sweet ending, with the not-extravagant-because-he-loves-her five gold rings
April 2, 2018
3.5* Damsel In Green was way more Christmassy than this book!
To better appreciate this story/trope, I read somewhere that back in the days, when a GENTLEMAN gave his word, like being engaged to a woman, he'd NEVER go back on it, so he would not have been able to break off an engagement.
In Ivo's case, it was just an UNDERSTANDING dammit! But he thought Mendacious Marcia was er in love with him, so he could not get rid of her unless there's someone to take over him. Gosh why did all these nasty fiancées get rewarded with a richer/better-for-them man always?! Marcia got away scot free, and was rewarded for her evil masquerade/ malingering?! Nasty, nasty...
I really enjoyed the time Ivo and Julia spent together; they might bicker or argue, but they could also joke and have fun, most of the time it's self-deprecating humour too! But I hated how Ivo was so protective of Marcia, yet he claimed not to be blind or deaf...then why get angry all those times when he thought Julia was making Marcia do too much or she was rude?!
Julia was right to say Ivo seemed a different man back in Holland, and if he felt "understood" with Marcia he had no business kissing Julia!
Also, Ivo was positively the youngest BN hero at 29! Maybe that's why he was able to engage in snow fights with Julia...it's a nice age gap compared to her 22! He drove a sporty Jensen Interceptor too while his father, a Mercedes.
I like Jorina and their doctor father; he and his twinkling eyes, letting us see Ivo in 30 years. I wish he had slapped his son to wake up his ideas...isn't amazing Marcia was able to con a free six-month long holiday with the van den Werffs?!
SPOILERS SPOILERS
The title is derived from a discussion of Christmas between Ivo and Julia, when they got to the fifth day the girl was presented with five gold rings and
Julia wondered what she'd do with five when one would do! So Ivo, after a really sweet love declaration, gifted Julia five gold rings consisting a pair of earrings, a bracelet (cheating), a diamond engagement ring and a wedding ring which could only be had after they got married!
The whole love declaration scene was well done! Ivo said all the right things haha!
There were quite a few funny lines and moments so I really enjoyed this book. The Christmas mood was not quite as strong here, given the title.
To better appreciate this story/trope, I read somewhere that back in the days, when a GENTLEMAN gave his word, like being engaged to a woman, he'd NEVER go back on it, so he would not have been able to break off an engagement.
In Ivo's case, it was just an UNDERSTANDING dammit! But he thought Mendacious Marcia was er in love with him, so he could not get rid of her unless there's someone to take over him. Gosh why did all these nasty fiancées get rewarded with a richer/better-for-them man always?! Marcia got away scot free, and was rewarded for her evil masquerade/ malingering?! Nasty, nasty...
I really enjoyed the time Ivo and Julia spent together; they might bicker or argue, but they could also joke and have fun, most of the time it's self-deprecating humour too! But I hated how Ivo was so protective of Marcia, yet he claimed not to be blind or deaf...then why get angry all those times when he thought Julia was making Marcia do too much or she was rude?!
Julia was right to say Ivo seemed a different man back in Holland, and if he felt "understood" with Marcia he had no business kissing Julia!
Also, Ivo was positively the youngest BN hero at 29! Maybe that's why he was able to engage in snow fights with Julia...it's a nice age gap compared to her 22! He drove a sporty Jensen Interceptor too while his father, a Mercedes.
I like Jorina and their doctor father; he and his twinkling eyes, letting us see Ivo in 30 years. I wish he had slapped his son to wake up his ideas...isn't amazing Marcia was able to con a free six-month long holiday with the van den Werffs?!
SPOILERS SPOILERS
The title is derived from a discussion of Christmas between Ivo and Julia, when they got to the fifth day the girl was presented with five gold rings and
Julia wondered what she'd do with five when one would do! So Ivo, after a really sweet love declaration, gifted Julia five gold rings consisting a pair of earrings, a bracelet (cheating), a diamond engagement ring and a wedding ring which could only be had after they got married!
The whole love declaration scene was well done! Ivo said all the right things haha!
There were quite a few funny lines and moments so I really enjoyed this book. The Christmas mood was not quite as strong here, given the title.
September 19, 2024
I read this from the back to see if I’d like it enough to properly read it, when I encountered the one thing that annoys me in BN books which is the hero’s refusal to break up with OW even though they invariably fall in love with he heroines ( it’s not dishonourable to emotionally cheat on their fiancées and go along with marriage plans while in love with someone else) and in this case his understanding with the OW was as the hero himself claimed, more of a vague misunderstanding.
The way he dismissed the heroine in the last scene where he knew she was speaking aloud to the OW to make him hear her duplicitous ways, was the last straw : this hero is no hero and needed to be slapped soundly.
And the fact that even after his own dawning moment, as grrrrace calls them in her reviews, and after learning that the OW was in actual fact in love with someone else and holding on to her “imaginary understanding he was supposed to have had with her” out of the spite she held for the heroine, he didn’t take the out this offered and instead went to the other man to make sure he’d have the OW if he broke up with her. What I mean by this convoluted recitation is to draw your attention to how low the heroine stands in his list of priorities. So all in all I’m glad I only read the last two chapters and this this book doesn’t deserve a second more of my time.
The way he dismissed the heroine in the last scene where he knew she was speaking aloud to the OW to make him hear her duplicitous ways, was the last straw : this hero is no hero and needed to be slapped soundly.
And the fact that even after his own dawning moment, as grrrrace calls them in her reviews, and after learning that the OW was in actual fact in love with someone else and holding on to her “imaginary understanding he was supposed to have had with her” out of the spite she held for the heroine, he didn’t take the out this offered and instead went to the other man to make sure he’d have the OW if he broke up with her. What I mean by this convoluted recitation is to draw your attention to how low the heroine stands in his list of priorities. So all in all I’m glad I only read the last two chapters and this this book doesn’t deserve a second more of my time.
October 9, 2018
HAVE YOU READ? MEDICAL BOOK REC
In Betty Neels’s The Fifth Day of Christmas, inclement weather, a broken-down car, and an isolated Scottish castle bring together Nurse Julia Pennyfeather and Doctor Ivo Van den Werff. They sip tea, bank fires, traipse hand-in-hand on hoary moors, and get to know each other. When the storm abates, Ivo asks Julia to accompany him to Holland to nurse a recovering polio-stricken friend. Scottish moors give way to quaint, snow-covered Dutch villages, Christmas tree decorating, the drinking of copious cups of coffee and much munching of Dutch cookies. Julia and Ivo nurse patients and throw loving, yearning glances at each other. It is The Neels’s great talent to bring us a world where love and plenty, grace and beauty, warmth and comfort are the gentleman-hero’s gifts to the heroine: everything he is and every he has are hers and foremost, his heart. Her only Christmas gift to him is the gift of herself. "The Fifth Day of Christmas" is one of Neels’s loveliest romances, the Christmas season the setting for a romance between two good people who will bring its spirit of service and joy to bear on their family, friends, and community in a well-deserved HEA.
This rec appears in Romantic Intentions Quarterly #3 - October 2018
In Betty Neels’s The Fifth Day of Christmas, inclement weather, a broken-down car, and an isolated Scottish castle bring together Nurse Julia Pennyfeather and Doctor Ivo Van den Werff. They sip tea, bank fires, traipse hand-in-hand on hoary moors, and get to know each other. When the storm abates, Ivo asks Julia to accompany him to Holland to nurse a recovering polio-stricken friend. Scottish moors give way to quaint, snow-covered Dutch villages, Christmas tree decorating, the drinking of copious cups of coffee and much munching of Dutch cookies. Julia and Ivo nurse patients and throw loving, yearning glances at each other. It is The Neels’s great talent to bring us a world where love and plenty, grace and beauty, warmth and comfort are the gentleman-hero’s gifts to the heroine: everything he is and every he has are hers and foremost, his heart. Her only Christmas gift to him is the gift of herself. "The Fifth Day of Christmas" is one of Neels’s loveliest romances, the Christmas season the setting for a romance between two good people who will bring its spirit of service and joy to bear on their family, friends, and community in a well-deserved HEA.
This rec appears in Romantic Intentions Quarterly #3 - October 2018
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