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When Two Paths Meet
He had saved her, but he didn't love her
Katherine Marsh was practically a slave to her brother's family in the small English country village where she lived. Then she met Dr. Jason Fitzroyand fell instantly in love. Dr. Fitzroy found her a job at the hospital and gave her a new sense of self-respect. He also gave Katherine her first taste of the freedom missing from her earlier years. But Katherine knew she could never be truly freenot while her heart was a prisoner of love.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1988
54 people are currently reading
188 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 39 reviews
April 7, 2021
This is my 90th book by Betty Neels. I am on a quest to read all of her 134 published romances. The fact is, you either like Betty or you don't. I happen to adore her work and yes I do agree with the naysayers that her books are:
√ a bit schmalzy
√ atypical of what's popular in romances today
√ tend to be repetitive with only two major themes: Cinderella Story and MOC. (But hey, if it's not broke, why fix it?)
√ are extremely tame, especially by today's standards. Betty's definition of passion can be summed up by "hard kisses". (I've never quite figured out what a hard kiss is, but I just kind of go with the flow)
So why do I like her so much. I don't know, maybe because:
√ her books are always well written. No dangling participles from dear Betty
√ her heroes are romantic and swashbuckling, in a modern sort of way
√ I am a sucker for a good Cinderella story
√ I wish I had met my own tall, good looking, giant of an RDD back when I was 25
√ enjoy her travelogues of Norway, Holland, England. It's like traveling without ever having to leaving my sofa
I rate my Betty's on a whole different scale from other books. 5 stars are for those I think are "exceptional" and that I would expect even non-Betty fans to enjoy. 4 stars are a "cut above the rest" and 3 stars are "good", but not exceptional. 1 and 2 stars (though very rare for me) fall into the category of "Betty what were you thinking"?
If you haven't discovered Betty yet, I suggest you start with a 5 star rated book and decide if you like her. Every romance addict should give her at least ONE try. Maybe you will join her league of admirers. Trust me there are many. There are even blogs out there devoted exclusively to her. "The Uncrushable Jersey Dress" is one of my personal favorites and always worth a good chuckle!
I dedicate this 90th review to Betty Neels who has given me so many wonderful hours of fun.
√ a bit schmalzy
√ atypical of what's popular in romances today
√ tend to be repetitive with only two major themes: Cinderella Story and MOC. (But hey, if it's not broke, why fix it?)
√ are extremely tame, especially by today's standards. Betty's definition of passion can be summed up by "hard kisses". (I've never quite figured out what a hard kiss is, but I just kind of go with the flow)
So why do I like her so much. I don't know, maybe because:
√ her books are always well written. No dangling participles from dear Betty
√ her heroes are romantic and swashbuckling, in a modern sort of way
√ I am a sucker for a good Cinderella story
√ I wish I had met my own tall, good looking, giant of an RDD back when I was 25
√ enjoy her travelogues of Norway, Holland, England. It's like traveling without ever having to leaving my sofa
I rate my Betty's on a whole different scale from other books. 5 stars are for those I think are "exceptional" and that I would expect even non-Betty fans to enjoy. 4 stars are a "cut above the rest" and 3 stars are "good", but not exceptional. 1 and 2 stars (though very rare for me) fall into the category of "Betty what were you thinking"?
If you haven't discovered Betty yet, I suggest you start with a 5 star rated book and decide if you like her. Every romance addict should give her at least ONE try. Maybe you will join her league of admirers. Trust me there are many. There are even blogs out there devoted exclusively to her. "The Uncrushable Jersey Dress" is one of my personal favorites and always worth a good chuckle!
I dedicate this 90th review to Betty Neels who has given me so many wonderful hours of fun.
June 1, 2021
While nothing outstanding really distinguishes WTPM from BN's other Cinderella-ish stories, it's nonetheless a good example of Betty's skill and charm, particularly in bringing settings to glowing life and populating them with nicely detailed secondary characters who illuminate the MCs more fully. If I had to goose recognition of this book, I guess I'd call it "the one where we spend Christmas in Salisbury" or maybe "the one where the hero keeps proposing and the heroine keeps refusing." Other than that, it's pretty typical BN fare--which is not to say unenjoyable. BN's plots may run along a few lines but, for me, she has a remarkable ability to bring each story to life, despite those similarities, with an old-fashioned warmth and charm that never fail to draw me in. I'm about halfway through her 134 books, and while I do alternate with other authors (romance and otherwise), I actually find myself craving another Betty book once I've had a palate cleanser or two.
This is one of her tales in which the Rich British Doctor (not Dutch; not even partly) hero rescues the poor but plucky heroine from being the unpaid skivvy for her detestable family. Familiar territory here, with a heroine trapped by a lack of money and outsize sense of responsibility (particularly towards her brother's emotionally neglected kids who may not be lovable but definitely deserve better parents than they get). From there, we have a familiar sequence: the hero helps the heroine to escape by finding her paid work (and when the initial job is derailed by the bratty and jealous OW, he finds her another position at his hospital as a nurse's aide--not quite a Poor British Nurse, but close enough). Katherine is hardworking and independent and does her best to build a secure, if lonely, life through her own efforts--but she's in love with the hero and is afraid that his continued interest in her stems from pity--that horror of all BN heroines. Meanwhile, Jason quickly comes to realize that that pretty little mouse with the beautiful eyes--his "Katie"--is exactly right for him and that he's equally lost his heart to her, and he amps up his pursuit, asking her repeatedly to marry him. Since he doesn't tell her that he loves her, she jumps to all kinds of conclusions about his proposal and keeps turning him down or refusing to take him seriously.
Typically of BN's heroes, our good doctor is undeterred. There's no real "Big Misunderstanding" in this one, but the heroine's own insecurities undermine his efforts--until finally he tells her that he's in love with her and tells her to trust her own heart and his love and say yes. And finally she does.
The sense of place in this one is lovely--the descriptions of snowy Salisbury at Christmas in particular are just lovely. The hero is not one of BN's emotionally abstracted jerks, either--while his motivations in proposing to the heroine remain opaque for a while, he explains that he feared a more direct pursuit would just scare her off. The growing relationship between them builds slowly, and his regard for her is clear in both word and deed. As usual, BN's likable, nicely drawn secondary characters add color and warmth. A lovely holiday-season outing by Betty, from 1988.
This is one of her tales in which the Rich British Doctor (not Dutch; not even partly) hero rescues the poor but plucky heroine from being the unpaid skivvy for her detestable family. Familiar territory here, with a heroine trapped by a lack of money and outsize sense of responsibility (particularly towards her brother's emotionally neglected kids who may not be lovable but definitely deserve better parents than they get). From there, we have a familiar sequence: the hero helps the heroine to escape by finding her paid work (and when the initial job is derailed by the bratty and jealous OW, he finds her another position at his hospital as a nurse's aide--not quite a Poor British Nurse, but close enough). Katherine is hardworking and independent and does her best to build a secure, if lonely, life through her own efforts--but she's in love with the hero and is afraid that his continued interest in her stems from pity--that horror of all BN heroines. Meanwhile, Jason quickly comes to realize that that pretty little mouse with the beautiful eyes--his "Katie"--is exactly right for him and that he's equally lost his heart to her, and he amps up his pursuit, asking her repeatedly to marry him. Since he doesn't tell her that he loves her, she jumps to all kinds of conclusions about his proposal and keeps turning him down or refusing to take him seriously.
Typically of BN's heroes, our good doctor is undeterred. There's no real "Big Misunderstanding" in this one, but the heroine's own insecurities undermine his efforts--until finally he tells her that he's in love with her and tells her to trust her own heart and his love and say yes. And finally she does.
The sense of place in this one is lovely--the descriptions of snowy Salisbury at Christmas in particular are just lovely. The hero is not one of BN's emotionally abstracted jerks, either--while his motivations in proposing to the heroine remain opaque for a while, he explains that he feared a more direct pursuit would just scare her off. The growing relationship between them builds slowly, and his regard for her is clear in both word and deed. As usual, BN's likable, nicely drawn secondary characters add color and warmth. A lovely holiday-season outing by Betty, from 1988.
April 10, 2017
4.5 stars. Katherine Marsh is one of the downtrodden but plucky Aramintas. She has been held prisoner, er, living at her brother’s home for the past two years and slaving, I mean, working unpaid for his unspeakably lazy wife when she answers a portentous knock at 5:30 one morning. It is Jason Fitzroy, (a white knight on his charger to rescue her) a doctor who has found an abandoned newborn on the roadside. Katherine helps him get the baby warmed and then over the protests of the obnoxious Joyce (this is the second nasty sister/sister-in-law named Joyce in the Canon – TGB must have disliked the name), accompanies him to the hospital so she can hold the infant while he drives. He pays for her breakfast at the hospital canteen, too, and then takes her back to her home. He has already figured out what kind of situation she is in, having been smitten by her remarkably fine grey eyes . . . but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Katherine dreams about him a lot over the next few days, having fallen for him at first sight – and who could fault her for her dreams, with the dismal life she leads?! So when he shows up again a few days later and offers her a job as a companion to an elderly couple who are his patients, she jumps at the chance. After all, as she tells a petulant Henry, “It will be nice to have some money,” since as she was his sister, Henry never thought it necessary to pay her for doing the bulk of the cooking and cleaning and all of the childcare.
The Graingers are a nice old couple; Betty, it is really a shame that you saddled them with such a nasty piece of work as Dodie for a granddaughter. Katherine has settled nicely into her role as companion, even winning over the rather sour housekeeper. She sees Dr. Fitzroy twice a week and has a couple of hours each afternoon to explore the town (I admit to being envious of Katherine being so close to Salisbury Cathedral – I, too, would love to have the time to explore it).
Dodie has apparently long been determined to become Mrs. Fitzroy and sees Katherine as competition. She devises a plan to temporarily move her grandparents away, leaving Katherine without a job. Fortunately, Jason comes to the rescue and gets her a job at the hospital as a nurses’ aide and points her to a room in a boarding house owned by his housekeeper’s sister.
Katie enjoys her new job in spite of the hard work and aching feet at day’s end. Jason contrives to see her often, although she is only aware of bumping into him often. She also meets his cousin, Edward, who is staying with him for a time. Edward takes her out a couple of times; they mutually agree to a brother/sister-type relationship.
Katie is off on Christmas Eve, works on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and has the next day off. She goes to the midnight service at the cathedral and runs into Jason, Dodie and Edward. Jason insists she come over to his house; they have snacks and hot chocolate and champagne. On the evening of Boxing Day, Katie runs into Jason; he invites her over for tea, then convinces her to stay for dinner after which Jason and Edward teach her to play poker. They also make plans to go to Stourhead on the next day, which turns out to be a lovely day in the snow. It is there that Jason first proposes, but he doesn’t tell Katie he loves her. She turns him down.
Jason has invited her to a party at his home on New Year’s Eve (or Old Year’s Night) – black tie, so she has to find a new dress and shoes. She bought a grey taffeta and grey velvet shoes; Edward tells her, “Clever girl! You’ll stand out like a nun at a circus.” Jason makes an allusion to marriage which she brushes off; Dodie is quite nasty to her; but she also meets some people who knew her parents and has quite a lovely time. Jason takes her home and again asks her to marry him. She says of course not and reminds him he is taking Dodie out; he says a man has to keep his hand in. He kisses her.
Mrs. Potts, the landlady, comes down with the flu and goes to hospital a few days. When she is released, Jason asks Katie to accompany her for a long weekend to his cottage at Bucklers Hard. On the drive to the cottage he asks if she has given any more thought to marrying him. She says, “I do wonder why you keep on about it.” He says that is a step in the right direction. When he leaves them at the cottage, Katie tells him to drive carefully. He says she sounds like a wife, so he feels justified in behaving like a husband; he swoops and kisses her hard.
Back at the hospital, Andy tells her she’s had a phone call and a man wants to meet her for coffee. She assumes it is Edward, but when she arrives at the coffee shop, finds her brother. Henry tries to get her to go back with him, but she refuses. She is angry and shaken and it shows on her face when she runs into Jason later. She tells him about it. He says it’s a pity that he has a date with Dodie; she says that he should hurry, because Dodie hates to be kept waiting. Jason answers yes, but he himself is willing to wait forever for someone he wants and asks, “is this the right moment for a proposal, Katie?” She doesn’t answer but runs away.
The next day, Matron calls her into her office and there is Henry. He has given Matron a cock-and-bull story about how his wife is desperately ill and they need Katherine to come help out. Katie says no, but Matron insists she should do her duty to her family. Katie gives up and goes with Henry, but tells him if Joyce isn’t sick, she won’t stay. Before she leaves the hospital, Katie tells her friend Andy where she has gone, in case “anyone” should ask.
Of course Joyce isn’t ill; Henry leaves as soon as he drops Katie off. Joyce laughs and says now Katie has to stay. Katie says she will get a bus or whatever. Joyce leaves also; Katie cleans up the children and the nursery and cooks them some breakfast. Joyce doesn’t come back until late in the day; Katie has been cleaning in the meantime. When Joyce comes back, she taunts Katie that the buses have stopped for the day and she will have to spend the night.
Meanwhile, Jason had seen Katie leave the hospital with a case and as soon as he was free, found out from Andy where she had gone. Naturally, he comes to rescue her again; when she sees him, she flies to him and says, “Jason! Oh, Jason, take me away from here!” while sniveling into his rock-solid chest.(!) He takes her to his home for supper and again asks her to marry him. He says that she can’t deny her love forever (but still doesn’t tell her he loves her). She admits she does love him but doesn’t know him very well. He tells her to get used to the idea of marrying him.
Next day at hospital, one of the patients reads an announcement from the newspaper that Dodie is marrying a Sir Gerard Wilden, owner of “a big estate” and “pots of money.” Katie jumps to the conclusion that Jason only wants to marry her to show Dodie he doesn’t care she is marrying someone else. When Jason comes to see her at her room, she throws her mistaken idea at him; he gets angry and calls her a “termagant with her head full of rubbishy fancies.” Oh, TGB, you had a way with words!
The Graingers are back and ask Katie to tea, over which Mrs. Grainger drops the tidbit that Dodie broke lots of hearts, but never Jason’s because he never fell for her, just treated her as a spoiled little sister. She makes plans to go away for a few days, then after that she can “be sensible” if she runs into him again. Instead she runs into him just outside the hospital, he takes her home and FINALLY makes a proper proposal in which he tells her he loves her. She tries to be stubborn but he convinces her with the idea of a quick, quiet wedding. He says he lost his heart the moment he saw her in her old dressing gown looking like a mouse with the most beautiful eyes in the world and that he hardly dared breathe for fear she would take fright and scamper off . . . She replies that she fell in love at the hospital canteen because he had told them to give her a good breakfast. Kissing follows!
This was very nice. I have a soft spot for the poor, plucky heroines. In spite of her downtrodden state, Katie has plenty of backbone. And Jason is just perfect for her, giving her the opportunity to get back on her feet and find her self-confidence. Edward is a nice brotherly cousin and Dodie is a nicely wicked OW. Background characters Andy and Mrs. Potts are nicely drawn.
Katherine dreams about him a lot over the next few days, having fallen for him at first sight – and who could fault her for her dreams, with the dismal life she leads?! So when he shows up again a few days later and offers her a job as a companion to an elderly couple who are his patients, she jumps at the chance. After all, as she tells a petulant Henry, “It will be nice to have some money,” since as she was his sister, Henry never thought it necessary to pay her for doing the bulk of the cooking and cleaning and all of the childcare.
The Graingers are a nice old couple; Betty, it is really a shame that you saddled them with such a nasty piece of work as Dodie for a granddaughter. Katherine has settled nicely into her role as companion, even winning over the rather sour housekeeper. She sees Dr. Fitzroy twice a week and has a couple of hours each afternoon to explore the town (I admit to being envious of Katherine being so close to Salisbury Cathedral – I, too, would love to have the time to explore it).
Dodie has apparently long been determined to become Mrs. Fitzroy and sees Katherine as competition. She devises a plan to temporarily move her grandparents away, leaving Katherine without a job. Fortunately, Jason comes to the rescue and gets her a job at the hospital as a nurses’ aide and points her to a room in a boarding house owned by his housekeeper’s sister.
Katie enjoys her new job in spite of the hard work and aching feet at day’s end. Jason contrives to see her often, although she is only aware of bumping into him often. She also meets his cousin, Edward, who is staying with him for a time. Edward takes her out a couple of times; they mutually agree to a brother/sister-type relationship.
Katie is off on Christmas Eve, works on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and has the next day off. She goes to the midnight service at the cathedral and runs into Jason, Dodie and Edward. Jason insists she come over to his house; they have snacks and hot chocolate and champagne. On the evening of Boxing Day, Katie runs into Jason; he invites her over for tea, then convinces her to stay for dinner after which Jason and Edward teach her to play poker. They also make plans to go to Stourhead on the next day, which turns out to be a lovely day in the snow. It is there that Jason first proposes, but he doesn’t tell Katie he loves her. She turns him down.
Jason has invited her to a party at his home on New Year’s Eve (or Old Year’s Night) – black tie, so she has to find a new dress and shoes. She bought a grey taffeta and grey velvet shoes; Edward tells her, “Clever girl! You’ll stand out like a nun at a circus.” Jason makes an allusion to marriage which she brushes off; Dodie is quite nasty to her; but she also meets some people who knew her parents and has quite a lovely time. Jason takes her home and again asks her to marry him. She says of course not and reminds him he is taking Dodie out; he says a man has to keep his hand in. He kisses her.
Mrs. Potts, the landlady, comes down with the flu and goes to hospital a few days. When she is released, Jason asks Katie to accompany her for a long weekend to his cottage at Bucklers Hard. On the drive to the cottage he asks if she has given any more thought to marrying him. She says, “I do wonder why you keep on about it.” He says that is a step in the right direction. When he leaves them at the cottage, Katie tells him to drive carefully. He says she sounds like a wife, so he feels justified in behaving like a husband; he swoops and kisses her hard.
Back at the hospital, Andy tells her she’s had a phone call and a man wants to meet her for coffee. She assumes it is Edward, but when she arrives at the coffee shop, finds her brother. Henry tries to get her to go back with him, but she refuses. She is angry and shaken and it shows on her face when she runs into Jason later. She tells him about it. He says it’s a pity that he has a date with Dodie; she says that he should hurry, because Dodie hates to be kept waiting. Jason answers yes, but he himself is willing to wait forever for someone he wants and asks, “is this the right moment for a proposal, Katie?” She doesn’t answer but runs away.
The next day, Matron calls her into her office and there is Henry. He has given Matron a cock-and-bull story about how his wife is desperately ill and they need Katherine to come help out. Katie says no, but Matron insists she should do her duty to her family. Katie gives up and goes with Henry, but tells him if Joyce isn’t sick, she won’t stay. Before she leaves the hospital, Katie tells her friend Andy where she has gone, in case “anyone” should ask.
Of course Joyce isn’t ill; Henry leaves as soon as he drops Katie off. Joyce laughs and says now Katie has to stay. Katie says she will get a bus or whatever. Joyce leaves also; Katie cleans up the children and the nursery and cooks them some breakfast. Joyce doesn’t come back until late in the day; Katie has been cleaning in the meantime. When Joyce comes back, she taunts Katie that the buses have stopped for the day and she will have to spend the night.
Meanwhile, Jason had seen Katie leave the hospital with a case and as soon as he was free, found out from Andy where she had gone. Naturally, he comes to rescue her again; when she sees him, she flies to him and says, “Jason! Oh, Jason, take me away from here!” while sniveling into his rock-solid chest.(!) He takes her to his home for supper and again asks her to marry him. He says that she can’t deny her love forever (but still doesn’t tell her he loves her). She admits she does love him but doesn’t know him very well. He tells her to get used to the idea of marrying him.
Next day at hospital, one of the patients reads an announcement from the newspaper that Dodie is marrying a Sir Gerard Wilden, owner of “a big estate” and “pots of money.” Katie jumps to the conclusion that Jason only wants to marry her to show Dodie he doesn’t care she is marrying someone else. When Jason comes to see her at her room, she throws her mistaken idea at him; he gets angry and calls her a “termagant with her head full of rubbishy fancies.” Oh, TGB, you had a way with words!
The Graingers are back and ask Katie to tea, over which Mrs. Grainger drops the tidbit that Dodie broke lots of hearts, but never Jason’s because he never fell for her, just treated her as a spoiled little sister. She makes plans to go away for a few days, then after that she can “be sensible” if she runs into him again. Instead she runs into him just outside the hospital, he takes her home and FINALLY makes a proper proposal in which he tells her he loves her. She tries to be stubborn but he convinces her with the idea of a quick, quiet wedding. He says he lost his heart the moment he saw her in her old dressing gown looking like a mouse with the most beautiful eyes in the world and that he hardly dared breathe for fear she would take fright and scamper off . . . She replies that she fell in love at the hospital canteen because he had told them to give her a good breakfast. Kissing follows!
This was very nice. I have a soft spot for the poor, plucky heroines. In spite of her downtrodden state, Katie has plenty of backbone. And Jason is just perfect for her, giving her the opportunity to get back on her feet and find her self-confidence. Edward is a nice brotherly cousin and Dodie is a nicely wicked OW. Background characters Andy and Mrs. Potts are nicely drawn.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2021
What I like about Betty Neels is that you always know just what to expect, although the doctor was not Dutch this time, he was still big and handsome and swept the shy, plain mouse of a girl off her feet, naturally a complete fantasy. I was a little annoyed with him though because he expected her to marry him starting about halfway through the book even though he had only ever shown avuncular interest in her and never even paid her a complement other than calling her sensible.
2021 update: I agree with all I said before and add that at the very least he could have stopped dating the other girl. It is quite ridiculous, and I don't know how he expects his proposals to be taken seriously when in one sentence he announces that he is going on a date with one girl, then in the next sentence proposes to another!
2021 update: I agree with all I said before and add that at the very least he could have stopped dating the other girl. It is quite ridiculous, and I don't know how he expects his proposals to be taken seriously when in one sentence he announces that he is going on a date with one girl, then in the next sentence proposes to another!
April 6, 2017
Tres páginas luego de comenzar la novela ya estaba tan envuelta por la historia, por los personajes, que no pude evitar lamentar que terminara.
¡Adoro! este tipo de novelas, Betty Neels sabe cómo tocar mi fibra sensible y no le encuentro fallas. No hace heroínas pretenciosas y aburridas, sus protagonistas son gente con la que puedo identificarme. Mujeres que a pesar de los problemas de la vida siguen adelante y dan todo de sí, buscándole lo bueno a cada cosa y disfrutando de los momentos felices.
¡Adoro! este tipo de novelas, Betty Neels sabe cómo tocar mi fibra sensible y no le encuentro fallas. No hace heroínas pretenciosas y aburridas, sus protagonistas son gente con la que puedo identificarme. Mujeres que a pesar de los problemas de la vida siguen adelante y dan todo de sí, buscándole lo bueno a cada cosa y disfrutando de los momentos felices.
July 2, 2023
This is up there with my favorite Bettys on a first read! Our heroine is Katherine who has lived with her brother and his wife and two kids for two years since her mother’s death. Her brother Henry and his wife Joyce are AWFUL! But they’re fun to hate and Katherine gets some good zingers at them. 😏 She’s basically an unpaid, overworked housemaid/nannie.
One winter morning, a man shows up with an abandoned baby and asks if Katherine will hold the baby while he drives to the local hospital in Salisbury. (Kind of sketchy in real life but of course it works here.) This man, Doctor Jason Forsyth, overhears some of Joyce’s nasty comments to Katherine before they leave for the hospital. Jason drives Katherine back once the baby has been admitted, and she, who has fallen in love with him, never expects to see him again. Classic Betty though, he shows up again that week with a job proposal for her: be a live-in companion to an elderly couple who live very near Salisbury Cathedral. Katherine is wild with delight to escape her prison and Jason backs her up with the incredibly selfish Joyce and Henry. (I feel so sorry for their children!)
I love the interlude with Katherine as the live-in companion. She begins to stretch her wings very satisfactorily, and Jason is the elderly couple’s doctor so she sees him regularly. Sadly, through the machinations of the OW, Katherine has to look for other work. Doctor Jason to the rescue again! The Salisbury hospital where he works is looking for nursing aides and his housekeeper’s sister happens to let rooms. Katherine is a conscientious and kind person so she settles into her new job very well and even begins to make friends. I love her relationship with her landlady and her fellow aide Andy.
The relationship between Katherine and Jason develops at a nice pace and the miscommunication/misunderstanding at the end isn’t too protracted. (It’s really all in Katherine’s head, and I can understand where she’s coming from.) The OW is not as real a threat as in other Bettys; the Professor clearly admires Katherine’s integrity, hard work, and kindness. The Salisbury setting is marvelous! It’s unique too that Jason travels around much less so the setting is more developed, including his beautiful old house near the Cathedral Close.
Definitely a Betty to recommend for newbies!
One winter morning, a man shows up with an abandoned baby and asks if Katherine will hold the baby while he drives to the local hospital in Salisbury. (Kind of sketchy in real life but of course it works here.) This man, Doctor Jason Forsyth, overhears some of Joyce’s nasty comments to Katherine before they leave for the hospital. Jason drives Katherine back once the baby has been admitted, and she, who has fallen in love with him, never expects to see him again. Classic Betty though, he shows up again that week with a job proposal for her: be a live-in companion to an elderly couple who live very near Salisbury Cathedral. Katherine is wild with delight to escape her prison and Jason backs her up with the incredibly selfish Joyce and Henry. (I feel so sorry for their children!)
I love the interlude with Katherine as the live-in companion. She begins to stretch her wings very satisfactorily, and Jason is the elderly couple’s doctor so she sees him regularly. Sadly, through the machinations of the OW, Katherine has to look for other work. Doctor Jason to the rescue again! The Salisbury hospital where he works is looking for nursing aides and his housekeeper’s sister happens to let rooms. Katherine is a conscientious and kind person so she settles into her new job very well and even begins to make friends. I love her relationship with her landlady and her fellow aide Andy.
The relationship between Katherine and Jason develops at a nice pace and the miscommunication/misunderstanding at the end isn’t too protracted. (It’s really all in Katherine’s head, and I can understand where she’s coming from.) The OW is not as real a threat as in other Bettys; the Professor clearly admires Katherine’s integrity, hard work, and kindness. The Salisbury setting is marvelous! It’s unique too that Jason travels around much less so the setting is more developed, including his beautiful old house near the Cathedral Close.
Definitely a Betty to recommend for newbies!
August 17, 2015
This is one of my favorite books by this author. I re-read it when things are busy and I need an old friend to sit and visit with to slow life down a bit. So you'll see additional dates from time to time.
December 15, 2019
Horrible family of the h, great story, wonderful H
November 5, 2025
“Senderos cruzados”
Cuando menos lo esperaba me encuentro otra vez con una hermosa y tierna novela de Betty Neels( Recordar que se conocen en la casa de ella de noche cuando el Dr toca la puerta y aparece con un bebé abandonado, ella lleva un camisón horrible según él...ella no es enfermera sino cuidadora)
Aquí la protagonista es Katherine Marsh una joven pequeña y delgada,de rostro común y hermosos ojos grises quien se enamora del doctor Jason Fitzroy( alto, rubio y de ojos azules).
Como toda buena novela de Betty la pobre, sencilla y humilde heroína será rescatada por el brillante y generoso doctor,no sin antes sufrir sufrir por sus inseguridades y temores.
La contrapartida de Katie será la caprichosa, egoísta y mala de Dodie.
Lo interesante y novedoso de esta novela es que el doctor expone más abiertamente sus sentimientos a la protagonista( es más es ella la que duda)y es un héroe con mucho sentido del humor que a su modo protege a la chica de quien se enamoró(no voy a dejar pasar la observación del doctor sobre el”horrible camisón” de la joven😢).
Estoy segura que esta novela cuenta con la declaración de amor más explícita y larga de todas:”Mi queridísima niña,ni Dodie ni ninguna otra mujer ha significado algo para mi.pero tú...desde el momento que te vi parada con tu viejo camisón,como un ratón muy formal,con los ojos más hermosos del mundo,me enamoré Katie.Nunca imagíne que enamorarse fuese una cosa tan repentina y devastadora, o tan frágil...no me atreví ni a respirar por miedo a que pudieras atemorizarte y escapar”🤭😍😭
Está novela pasa a estar en mi top ten de favoritas y clásicas de Betty que se tienen que leer😉
Cuando menos lo esperaba me encuentro otra vez con una hermosa y tierna novela de Betty Neels( Recordar que se conocen en la casa de ella de noche cuando el Dr toca la puerta y aparece con un bebé abandonado, ella lleva un camisón horrible según él...ella no es enfermera sino cuidadora)
Aquí la protagonista es Katherine Marsh una joven pequeña y delgada,de rostro común y hermosos ojos grises quien se enamora del doctor Jason Fitzroy( alto, rubio y de ojos azules).
Como toda buena novela de Betty la pobre, sencilla y humilde heroína será rescatada por el brillante y generoso doctor,no sin antes sufrir sufrir por sus inseguridades y temores.
La contrapartida de Katie será la caprichosa, egoísta y mala de Dodie.
Lo interesante y novedoso de esta novela es que el doctor expone más abiertamente sus sentimientos a la protagonista( es más es ella la que duda)y es un héroe con mucho sentido del humor que a su modo protege a la chica de quien se enamoró(no voy a dejar pasar la observación del doctor sobre el”horrible camisón” de la joven😢).
Estoy segura que esta novela cuenta con la declaración de amor más explícita y larga de todas:”Mi queridísima niña,ni Dodie ni ninguna otra mujer ha significado algo para mi.pero tú...desde el momento que te vi parada con tu viejo camisón,como un ratón muy formal,con los ojos más hermosos del mundo,me enamoré Katie.Nunca imagíne que enamorarse fuese una cosa tan repentina y devastadora, o tan frágil...no me atreví ni a respirar por miedo a que pudieras atemorizarte y escapar”🤭😍😭
Está novela pasa a estar en mi top ten de favoritas y clásicas de Betty que se tienen que leer😉
October 8, 2010
I've read this one twice now and I did enjoy it both times. It amazes me that Betty Neels always manages to make each book just a wee bit different even though many of the plot lines are similar. This is one of her Cinderella stories. Handsome doctor comes to the rescue of a sweet, little mouse of a girl whose living a horrible life with her brother and his wife. I loved the fact that he asks her to marry him at least half a dozen times, but I hated the fact that she was so silly and tried to run away from him even though she adored him. But maybe it was because she was so young and had been brow beaten for several years and didn't have any confidence that such a man could love her...It all got ironed out in the end very nicely and his reaction to her admission about how long she had been in love with him was worth waiting 180 pages for.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2013
Dull is the word that moreorless sums up this book! The main character is unlikeable: vulnerable, pathetic and dumb, and most of the book draws attention to her sad, almost school-like crush on the doctor, rather than any kind of mutual attraction between the two of them, which when it eventually rolls around, just seems completely farfetched. It's not very believable, it's slow-paced, and yes... dull, very dull. Not to be recommended!
Read
February 12, 2025meu betty 13 e o azar é das roupas. heroína metódica com pagamento da semana, primeiro gasta em calcinhas, depois o vestido cinza-claro (que é "unexciting, but she would not get tired of it as quickly as a brighter colour" e "suitable, cheap and completely lacking in high fashion, but then, high fashion was something quite useless for someone like herself"). em outra rodada de compras entram capa de chuva (a sensible garment ... but it felt comfortable and fitted well) e chapéu (plain with its small brim and plain ribbon). na véspera de natal, procura um vestido mais arrumadinho, encontra: a fine wool crêpe dress, paisley patterned in several shades of amber and dark green. It was plain, but it fitted her well, and the price was right. meu deus, que tristeza.
no dia 26, passeio (stourhead, cenário de lizzy e darcy encharcados 2005) com o dr. e o primo dele. em cima da hora vai atrás de algo que disfarce a velhice da calça e da jaqueta: gorro, luvas, e um cachecol vermelho-azevinho. e se aprecia o resultado, e se nesses trajes recebe o primeiro pedido de casamento, ainda assim ronda a lamentação do figurino que nunca agrada de todo.
negados a katherine o consumo mais satisfatório e a mão solta de certas heroínas bettys.
o que não me é negado é o FÍSICO!! pois betty 13 meu primeiro betty além do ebook!! o prazer de ver betty desacompanhada do "romance readers around the world were sad to note the passing of Betty Neels in June 2001"!! ver lista de suas publicações mais recentes e onde se encaixam na produção harlequin. também a propaganda dos seis lançamento do próximo mês, da linha keepsake para adolescentes (que nada promete além de conceito), dos históricos (idem, mas esse, obviamente, não precisava de muito encorajamento), da curta worldwide library (romances single title, querendo dizer uma linha sem linha), da temptation, especificamente anúncio do selo que editores dão a certos livros "verdadeiramente inovadores." a gracinha do vol, o verde betty. como dá bem na mão e como quis virar uma harlequineira.
essa enumeração das alegrias talvez tenha algum desespero do "mas enfim, confortável, tamanho certo" de katherine sofredora da moda. é morno, verdade, sem nem o momento betty-novela de desgraça. sem gatos e cachorros em perigo, e até quando katherine é basicamente arrastada pra onde mais odeia, o ponto de ônibus ao alcance.
a declaração, porém, suspirável. o instante de clareza dele: I saw you standing there in that old dressing-gown, looking like an earnest mouse with the most beautiful eyes in the world... e dela: I fell in love with you in the canteen at the hospital. You’d told them to give me a good breakfast.
no dia 26, passeio (stourhead, cenário de lizzy e darcy encharcados 2005) com o dr. e o primo dele. em cima da hora vai atrás de algo que disfarce a velhice da calça e da jaqueta: gorro, luvas, e um cachecol vermelho-azevinho. e se aprecia o resultado, e se nesses trajes recebe o primeiro pedido de casamento, ainda assim ronda a lamentação do figurino que nunca agrada de todo.
negados a katherine o consumo mais satisfatório e a mão solta de certas heroínas bettys.
o que não me é negado é o FÍSICO!! pois betty 13 meu primeiro betty além do ebook!! o prazer de ver betty desacompanhada do "romance readers around the world were sad to note the passing of Betty Neels in June 2001"!! ver lista de suas publicações mais recentes e onde se encaixam na produção harlequin. também a propaganda dos seis lançamento do próximo mês, da linha keepsake para adolescentes (que nada promete além de conceito), dos históricos (idem, mas esse, obviamente, não precisava de muito encorajamento), da curta worldwide library (romances single title, querendo dizer uma linha sem linha), da temptation, especificamente anúncio do selo que editores dão a certos livros "verdadeiramente inovadores." a gracinha do vol, o verde betty. como dá bem na mão e como quis virar uma harlequineira.
essa enumeração das alegrias talvez tenha algum desespero do "mas enfim, confortável, tamanho certo" de katherine sofredora da moda. é morno, verdade, sem nem o momento betty-novela de desgraça. sem gatos e cachorros em perigo, e até quando katherine é basicamente arrastada pra onde mais odeia, o ponto de ônibus ao alcance.
a declaração, porém, suspirável. o instante de clareza dele: I saw you standing there in that old dressing-gown, looking like an earnest mouse with the most beautiful eyes in the world... e dela: I fell in love with you in the canteen at the hospital. You’d told them to give me a good breakfast.
July 5, 2025
First half - 4 stars, Second half - Meh. Annoying behavior by heroine.
April 21, 2025
Sometimes I just want a nonsense no tension comfort read. Betty Neels is a specific kind of cozy.
June 15, 2018
3.75* 1988
Why oh why, did our RBD Jason keep on dating dreadful Dodie, even after he'd asked Katherine/Katie to marry him?! And he had seemed to be constantly pushing the younger and fun Edward at her, claiming to be old (he's 36, the same age as her horrible school master of a brother.) He might score some points for patience, persistence and placidity, but puhleez, he's really not doing himself a favour dating Dodie when he should have been taking Katie out! He was thoughtful enough to warn Edward not to go to dressy places, but dammit he could have wined and dined her a bit more! Even just to bring her back to his house more frequently, or go on long country walks like to Stourhead where he had first proposed! In the end he proposed/asked like five times in total? It became kind of like a farce, like asking her at a corridor in hospital after a chance meeting, if THIS was the right time to ask her to marry him. Contrast each time with him bringing Dodie to somewhere posh and ' fun'. I also hate it when he always excused Dodie's nasty behaviour as her being drunk or too young. All Dodie's lies! Like visiting her elderly grandparents every afternoon soon Katherine could have time off etc. Argh!
Katherine was cursed with a nasty brother, bitchy and wicked sister-in-law (ironically named Joyce), horrid nephew and niece...no love at all. Even the housekeeper was a cold fish! I really hated how her brother could tell some lies, acted a bit, and the Matron could force Katherine to go back with her brother even though she expressly said she refused to go back and be a servant. This was 1988! Not 1978 or 1968! Her overly developed conscience was making her so easy to manipulate...she could have done the bare minimum to feed the kids, why bother to do the laundry or clean up the kitchen when she knew full well Joyce was just being lazy and Henry the Horrid Bro was too cheap!
But this is what our doctor loved about Katie. Sigh.
Overall it's a pleasant read but I feel awful for Katherine and wish she had stood up more to her brother!
Why oh why, did our RBD Jason keep on dating dreadful Dodie, even after he'd asked Katherine/Katie to marry him?! And he had seemed to be constantly pushing the younger and fun Edward at her, claiming to be old (he's 36, the same age as her horrible school master of a brother.) He might score some points for patience, persistence and placidity, but puhleez, he's really not doing himself a favour dating Dodie when he should have been taking Katie out! He was thoughtful enough to warn Edward not to go to dressy places, but dammit he could have wined and dined her a bit more! Even just to bring her back to his house more frequently, or go on long country walks like to Stourhead where he had first proposed! In the end he proposed/asked like five times in total? It became kind of like a farce, like asking her at a corridor in hospital after a chance meeting, if THIS was the right time to ask her to marry him. Contrast each time with him bringing Dodie to somewhere posh and ' fun'. I also hate it when he always excused Dodie's nasty behaviour as her being drunk or too young. All Dodie's lies! Like visiting her elderly grandparents every afternoon soon Katherine could have time off etc. Argh!
Katherine was cursed with a nasty brother, bitchy and wicked sister-in-law (ironically named Joyce), horrid nephew and niece...no love at all. Even the housekeeper was a cold fish! I really hated how her brother could tell some lies, acted a bit, and the Matron could force Katherine to go back with her brother even though she expressly said she refused to go back and be a servant. This was 1988! Not 1978 or 1968! Her overly developed conscience was making her so easy to manipulate...she could have done the bare minimum to feed the kids, why bother to do the laundry or clean up the kitchen when she knew full well Joyce was just being lazy and Henry the Horrid Bro was too cheap!
But this is what our doctor loved about Katie. Sigh.
Overall it's a pleasant read but I feel awful for Katherine and wish she had stood up more to her brother!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2025
3.8. I was a bit disappointed with this book by the end. It started off so promising and was fabulously building up for quite a while, and suddenly in the last third of the book it went off the rails into stupidity land with the heroine becoming too stupid to live. Which really peeved me off.
So anyway, this is the one where the h is a plain jane who lives with her selfish older brother and sister in law and their young kids and she is a skivvy and nanny and housekeeper and unpaid slave to them all. He doesnt even give her an allowance. she had given up school to nurse a sick mom and after the mom died, been left with nothing. the brother is stingy and determined to keep her as his unpaid slave so refuses to let her train for anything or to get a job. She is now 21.
Then one night the H knocks on the door. he is a Rich Brit Doc driving by and had found a newborn baby abandoned in the cold outside and he needs her help warming the baby up. She takes one look at him and falls in love. BAM. He takes her along to hold the baby while he drives to the hospital. when she gets home her selfish sister in law screeches at her that she cant have any brekkie because how dare she go out and she better get upstairs this minute and tend to the kids, who are selfish little monsters btw.
The doc hears all this and realises that she is an unpaid slave and trapped and he feels sorry for her so hatches a plot to rescue her and finds a job for her as companion to two elderly people, who happen to be the grandparents of the girl the doc is dating. He helps h escape from the clutches of her bro and sis in law who are determined not to let her go. finally she is free!
she cares for the elderly couple, making herself useful and is kinda happy as she still gets to see the doc every once in a while. in the meantime the doc is still dating Dodie, the elderly couples beautiful and selfish liar of a granddaughter. Dodie is a manipulative cow who pretends to be caring to make the doc think she is so nice. But its all lies. Meanwhile Dodie takes a dislike to our h and keeps making nasty comments to her about her appearance.
SPOILERS
when the old couple decide to leave the city, which is a move made by Dodie as she wants h to lose her job and force her and the doc apart, our girl is once again without a job and scared because it was so sudden. but the doc sweeps to the rescue, getting h a job in the hospital as a ward orderly type thing. Our girl is happy because she will still get to see the doc, yay, happy days, love him from afar, that kind of thing.
In the meantime the doc is still being his nice guy self (no cold meanie mcc here), dropping by every once in a while to check up on h and make sure she is doing okay, and inviting her to his house for tea and introducing her to his young male cousin to the point of maybe even trying to set them up as a couple or so it seems etc. and he keeps dating dodie.
All of a sudden, 70% into the book, while out hiking in nature with his cousin and our h, he asks our h to marry him. WTF. Bolt from the blue. what was all that about? our girl is understandably shocked and thinks that he must have said it by mistake because surely he means to marry dodie, and everyone says so, and she decides to let him off the hook by saying no.
he takes it in good spirit and isnt mean about it. and carries on being friends as before. except every once in a while he asks her again to marry him.
this is the point the book gets stupid. one, she never asks him why he is asking her. i thought the repeated asking was so sweet, but the fact that (1) she doesnt ask him why and keeps refusing him for no reason when she actually loves him is stupid, and (2) he asks her and asks her but doesnt tell her what his reason is - like does he love her or what? neither of them communicate and its really annoying and stupid. also, he keeps dating Dodie and rubbing it in our heroines face. wtf dude! i hate that kind of game playing with Bettys heroes, and in some books i can live with it because it creates some good angst, but in this book it seems stupidly contrived and juvenile because he's actually asked her to marry him and in the next breath says i'm going on a date with Dodie tonight - like WTF! Moron!!
so anyway, at one point H makes h confess to him that she loves him, but again she refuses to accept his proposal for no earthly reason when the stupid cow loves him and wants to marry him more than anything. Later at night she finally thinks about it and realises that surely he must love her and that can be the only reason her would propose. wtf. he has asked her about 5 times and you only realise it now ya stupid cow?
but then the next day she sees an announcement in newspaper that dodie has gotten engaged to some other rich guy. and she assumes the H asked her to marry him to get back at Dodie who must have spurned him. okay, that kinda makes sense maybe.
anyway, there is some drama at that point with her awful brother coming to coerce her away from her job to make her into his slave again, and the doc coming after her to rescue her from the situation. He takes her home, tells her that he loves her TWICE and asks her to marry him a nd the stupid cow still refuse. wth! it makes no sense. the man has actually confessed his love!! then he does some talking to finally convince her not to be such a stupid cow and he confesses to her that he loved her at first sight and has been terrified of losing her by scaring her off ever since. wth.
that was confusing because there was no inkling that he loved her at first sight and has actually been AWARE of it. it would make more sense if he had said that he hadnt realised it until later, but he says he always knew, which makes no sense at all because of the way he's continued to date Dodie and also had thoughts about how plain etc our heroine is.
anyway, it was so promising but the events after he first proposed just made no sense at all to me, and thus this book drops into the just okay category for me. a pity.
it might be interesting to read it again knowing what i now know to see if there were hints of his feelings after all...
So anyway, this is the one where the h is a plain jane who lives with her selfish older brother and sister in law and their young kids and she is a skivvy and nanny and housekeeper and unpaid slave to them all. He doesnt even give her an allowance. she had given up school to nurse a sick mom and after the mom died, been left with nothing. the brother is stingy and determined to keep her as his unpaid slave so refuses to let her train for anything or to get a job. She is now 21.
Then one night the H knocks on the door. he is a Rich Brit Doc driving by and had found a newborn baby abandoned in the cold outside and he needs her help warming the baby up. She takes one look at him and falls in love. BAM. He takes her along to hold the baby while he drives to the hospital. when she gets home her selfish sister in law screeches at her that she cant have any brekkie because how dare she go out and she better get upstairs this minute and tend to the kids, who are selfish little monsters btw.
The doc hears all this and realises that she is an unpaid slave and trapped and he feels sorry for her so hatches a plot to rescue her and finds a job for her as companion to two elderly people, who happen to be the grandparents of the girl the doc is dating. He helps h escape from the clutches of her bro and sis in law who are determined not to let her go. finally she is free!
she cares for the elderly couple, making herself useful and is kinda happy as she still gets to see the doc every once in a while. in the meantime the doc is still dating Dodie, the elderly couples beautiful and selfish liar of a granddaughter. Dodie is a manipulative cow who pretends to be caring to make the doc think she is so nice. But its all lies. Meanwhile Dodie takes a dislike to our h and keeps making nasty comments to her about her appearance.
SPOILERS
when the old couple decide to leave the city, which is a move made by Dodie as she wants h to lose her job and force her and the doc apart, our girl is once again without a job and scared because it was so sudden. but the doc sweeps to the rescue, getting h a job in the hospital as a ward orderly type thing. Our girl is happy because she will still get to see the doc, yay, happy days, love him from afar, that kind of thing.
In the meantime the doc is still being his nice guy self (no cold meanie mcc here), dropping by every once in a while to check up on h and make sure she is doing okay, and inviting her to his house for tea and introducing her to his young male cousin to the point of maybe even trying to set them up as a couple or so it seems etc. and he keeps dating dodie.
All of a sudden, 70% into the book, while out hiking in nature with his cousin and our h, he asks our h to marry him. WTF. Bolt from the blue. what was all that about? our girl is understandably shocked and thinks that he must have said it by mistake because surely he means to marry dodie, and everyone says so, and she decides to let him off the hook by saying no.
he takes it in good spirit and isnt mean about it. and carries on being friends as before. except every once in a while he asks her again to marry him.
this is the point the book gets stupid. one, she never asks him why he is asking her. i thought the repeated asking was so sweet, but the fact that (1) she doesnt ask him why and keeps refusing him for no reason when she actually loves him is stupid, and (2) he asks her and asks her but doesnt tell her what his reason is - like does he love her or what? neither of them communicate and its really annoying and stupid. also, he keeps dating Dodie and rubbing it in our heroines face. wtf dude! i hate that kind of game playing with Bettys heroes, and in some books i can live with it because it creates some good angst, but in this book it seems stupidly contrived and juvenile because he's actually asked her to marry him and in the next breath says i'm going on a date with Dodie tonight - like WTF! Moron!!
so anyway, at one point H makes h confess to him that she loves him, but again she refuses to accept his proposal for no earthly reason when the stupid cow loves him and wants to marry him more than anything. Later at night she finally thinks about it and realises that surely he must love her and that can be the only reason her would propose. wtf. he has asked her about 5 times and you only realise it now ya stupid cow?
but then the next day she sees an announcement in newspaper that dodie has gotten engaged to some other rich guy. and she assumes the H asked her to marry him to get back at Dodie who must have spurned him. okay, that kinda makes sense maybe.
anyway, there is some drama at that point with her awful brother coming to coerce her away from her job to make her into his slave again, and the doc coming after her to rescue her from the situation. He takes her home, tells her that he loves her TWICE and asks her to marry him a nd the stupid cow still refuse. wth! it makes no sense. the man has actually confessed his love!! then he does some talking to finally convince her not to be such a stupid cow and he confesses to her that he loved her at first sight and has been terrified of losing her by scaring her off ever since. wth.
that was confusing because there was no inkling that he loved her at first sight and has actually been AWARE of it. it would make more sense if he had said that he hadnt realised it until later, but he says he always knew, which makes no sense at all because of the way he's continued to date Dodie and also had thoughts about how plain etc our heroine is.
anyway, it was so promising but the events after he first proposed just made no sense at all to me, and thus this book drops into the just okay category for me. a pity.
it might be interesting to read it again knowing what i now know to see if there were hints of his feelings after all...
September 2, 2020
Reseña #12
Última novela de romance que leí para este primer semestre del año y debía ser de mi Amada Betty Neels.
La mejor que he leído de su autoría hasta ahora.
Jason es un inusual protagonista "Neels" y me encantó...mucho, igual que la protagonista.
Una novela romántica como me gustan, rosa pero no cursi, sobria y encantadora.
Las novelas de Betty N., tienen su encanto para quienes disfrutamos del romance "a la antigua".
Novelas de color blanco y rosa que son un remanso de paz para las románticas apasionadas e intensas de otras autoras mas contemporáneas... y no es que no haya intensidad o pasión en estas novelas, pero se sienten o se describe de manera distinta.
Con esta novela cerré el ciclo romántico del primer semestre ya que me he dedicado a otras lecturas o géneros y con el covid 19, la cuarentena y el teletrabajo de a poco me he puesto al día con las reseñas, gracias a Goodreads llevo un detalle de lo leído sino estaría perdida en mi recuento de lecturas.
Hasta pronto Betty, espero que llegue el verano chileno para volver a tus encantadoras e ingenuas historias...
4/5
Última novela de romance que leí para este primer semestre del año y debía ser de mi Amada Betty Neels.
La mejor que he leído de su autoría hasta ahora.
Jason es un inusual protagonista "Neels" y me encantó...mucho, igual que la protagonista.
Una novela romántica como me gustan, rosa pero no cursi, sobria y encantadora.
Las novelas de Betty N., tienen su encanto para quienes disfrutamos del romance "a la antigua".
Novelas de color blanco y rosa que son un remanso de paz para las románticas apasionadas e intensas de otras autoras mas contemporáneas... y no es que no haya intensidad o pasión en estas novelas, pero se sienten o se describe de manera distinta.
Con esta novela cerré el ciclo romántico del primer semestre ya que me he dedicado a otras lecturas o géneros y con el covid 19, la cuarentena y el teletrabajo de a poco me he puesto al día con las reseñas, gracias a Goodreads llevo un detalle de lo leído sino estaría perdida en mi recuento de lecturas.
Hasta pronto Betty, espero que llegue el verano chileno para volver a tus encantadoras e ingenuas historias...
4/5
August 4, 2014
This was one of my mother's favorites. Since none of the titles are memorable, we tended to refer to BNs in a kind of short hand. "The one where she makes a dress from a curtain." "The one where she wears a bikini." "The one where he's not a doctor." This is "the one where he climbs through the window." It is much, much better than "the one where he has the weird eyebrows" but on par with "the one where she's a cook."
June 1, 2011
As usual with this author the story is a little staid but the descriptions of the settings are incredible. Liked the developement of the main character. Her love interest is a little strange but it was okay. Was an easy read.
November 4, 2010
I'll put up a better review at a later date. All that I can say is that this is a quintessential Betty Neels book.
August 13, 2010
Pretty basic Neels. I wish he had not asked her so often to marry him ant the end and she ignored/misunderstood him. Not one of her bestest imo.
May 20, 2016
The usual Betty neels.
December 7, 2016
Star Rating: ★★★½☆
October 24, 2023
Incredibly charming, I always enjoy Betty Neel's books set in England during winter, all the build up to Christmas and the cosey afternoons teas and shopping for a sensible and warm coat. Very soothing and relaxing.
Alas I couldn't go for 5 stars as the h in this one was somewhat trying. She's the ultimate Cinderella doormat who, even after 'gaining her independence' goes back to her brother's house and meekly does his washing up. Girl, you should have spat on his dishes and walked out.
I also was utterly baffled by her constant, repeated rejections of the H. Even during his love confession, when he said he's never cared for the OW and begs her to marry him, she's STILL saying no and making plans to leave town (because she loves him so so much? What?) I just didn't get it, and found myself internally screaming in frustration at this h.
Alas I couldn't go for 5 stars as the h in this one was somewhat trying. She's the ultimate Cinderella doormat who, even after 'gaining her independence' goes back to her brother's house and meekly does his washing up. Girl, you should have spat on his dishes and walked out.
I also was utterly baffled by her constant, repeated rejections of the H. Even during his love confession, when he said he's never cared for the OW and begs her to marry him, she's STILL saying no and making plans to leave town (because she loves him so so much? What?) I just didn't get it, and found myself internally screaming in frustration at this h.
September 8, 2024
A two and a half basically rounded to three by goodreads. The one where the hero rescues her from indentured servitude to her disgusting brother and sister in law. He is civil and gentle with the heroine but in a distant manner and contrary to his claims in the end at first he’s shown to be very dazzled by the OW who is the granddaughter of the old couple he had hired her for. She’s one of BN’s plain heroines but somehow her integrity and sense of responsibility distinguish her, to the point where even the grand daughter feeling threatened, gets rid of her in a very complicated manœuvre. I personally disliked the old couple as much as I did their grand daughter, the hero did ask the heroine to marry him but never claimed he loved her until the very end, and there wasn’t anything sweet about the whole book except for the heroine, who when she went back to « visit » her brother, proved to be tstl unfortunately. .
August 20, 2025
When Two Paths Meet was such a wholesome read, albeit nothing new; another version of Cinderella, it is the kind of book that leaves you warm and smiling long after you’ve turned the last page. I enjoyed every bit of it—the steady pacing, the gentle unfolding of the story, and the way Betty Neels built the relationship with such subtle charm.
And of course, Dr. Jason Fitzroy’s line: “Our paths cross so often, they are bound to converge one day.” —absolutely swoon-worthy! That quote alone captures the quiet magic of this story.
This is definitely one of those novels that feels like a comforting hug, simple yet deeply endearing.
January 24, 2020
Another hero who kept dangling the OW (like william from the girl with green eyes) although he already in love with heroine and in this case Jason already proposed katie several times. why don't you just make a move like take her to dinner date? But i like how persistent Jason and the ending was delightful.
March 26, 2021
I am going to give this a resounding 1 star. What utter nonsense this is! Why cant the H tells h that he loves her, wants to marry her and the OW doesn't mean anything to him. He was deliberately causing the misunderstanding between them. Of course, the poor plain dull woman thinks she was just a charity case.
Not recommended. There are better books from BN. NEXT.
Not recommended. There are better books from BN. NEXT.
April 17, 2023
“..how could one be happy when one loved a man and knew that he would never feel the least urge to love one in return?”
“…but she wasn’t in a book, she was flesh and blood and hurt and humiliated, and very much in love, even though she no longer liked Jason. She amended this: she didn’t like him at the moment.”
“…but she wasn’t in a book, she was flesh and blood and hurt and humiliated, and very much in love, even though she no longer liked Jason. She amended this: she didn’t like him at the moment.”
September 19, 2017
Beautiful Betty Neels
I love her stories her characters are sweet and adorable. I have over 50 of her titles in my collection. Her stories always make me/you smile and leave you with a happy feeling that all is right in the world
I love her stories her characters are sweet and adorable. I have over 50 of her titles in my collection. Her stories always make me/you smile and leave you with a happy feeling that all is right in the world
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