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A Valentine for Daisy
Surely Her Heart Realized He Was Totally Unsuitable?
Arrogant, overbearing and dictatorial! What was there to like about brilliant pediatrician Dr. Valentine Seymour? Not much, Daisy Pelham had to admit. Yet, his small patients seemed to adore him...Daisy was mystified. She could only think that perhaps there was another side to him, one that he didn't want her to see...
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1993
31 people are currently reading
170 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 33 reviews
April 24, 2014
This one got a little long in the tooth and there were times the heroine's denseness got tiring, but this was quintessential Betty so I had to give it 4 stars. After all how many heroines would
√ make a skirt out of old curtains
√ consider working at a pig farm
√ take on "louts and hooligans" instead of calling 999
√ ride a bicycle to and from work
√ watch somebody else's children 24 X 7, and not get mad when they let you go without even 24 hour notice ( even when they thought you were the best thing since sliced bead) I mean really, they never heard of severance pay?
It took me a few extra days to finish this one, but it was well worth the perseverance. It's so OTT, I found myself laughing out loud and something I really needed to cheer me up.
I would only recommend this one to true Betty die hard fans. If you're out there and missed this one, you should give it a try.
√ make a skirt out of old curtains
√ consider working at a pig farm
√ take on "louts and hooligans" instead of calling 999
√ ride a bicycle to and from work
√ watch somebody else's children 24 X 7, and not get mad when they let you go without even 24 hour notice ( even when they thought you were the best thing since sliced bead) I mean really, they never heard of severance pay?
It took me a few extra days to finish this one, but it was well worth the perseverance. It's so OTT, I found myself laughing out loud and something I really needed to cheer me up.
I would only recommend this one to true Betty die hard fans. If you're out there and missed this one, you should give it a try.
November 25, 2025
It’s nice to be back with Betty! I enjoyed this one. Daisy has quite a lot of adventures with her various jobs. I like that she is working to provide for her widowed mom and younger sister but they aren’t selfish. They’re quite sweet and Dr Seymour is a bit in cahoots with the mom. I enjoyed the twins and this one had some good food descriptions too. I loved the bit about Maisie and her animals. Philip’s love at first sight was amusing. I was glad that love triangle died an early and a happy death. 😂 Daisy is maybe a bit bland as a heroine compared to my favorites but she is sweet. And she didn’t worry about her clothes as much as some Betty heroines.
April 2, 2021
Barreling through my Betty binge and edging up to my 100th BN book. Given the similarities from book to book, it's amazing how engaged I still find myself. A Valentine for Daisy was a new one for me, as opposed to a re-read that I had yet to review. So many great reviews for this one already!
Daisy is on the snappish side of BN heroines but not as annoying as some. Her "valentine" is the hero, Rich British Doctor Valentine Seymour, who is intrigued by heroine from the get-go, despite her being one of Betty's small "plain" heroines with beautiful eyes. Before long, "intrigued by" has turned to "besotted with."
Some familiar elements:
- The helpless parent (this one Daisy's loving, widowed mother, whose sheltered upbringing/marriage has left her unable to fend for her own little self.
- As a result, Daisy has no job training and had to leave university to take over household management for her bird-brained (but sweet) mama.
- Trip to Holland (as temporary nanny to Valentine's bratty twin niece and nephew).
- OM/OW drama (super mild in this one, and mainly cause for the hero's extreme jealousy). Daisy gets mad at the hero at one point and tells him she hopes the OW gets him, because he deserves her, hee.
- Hospital setting for much of it (Valentine gets Daisy a job as an orderly--a job which everyone tells her is most unsuitable for her ladylike self, but BN heroines don't mind hard work and aren't snooty about it either).
- Abrupt declarations and HEA at very end--Betty liked to keep the drama and misunderstandings going to the very end!
Some unusual things:
- Valentine is teasing and lighthearted and pretty unreserved for a BN hero! He likes to wind our heroine up, and she fluffs her fur every time.
- A very nice sister for once! 15-year-old sister Pamela, pretty, smart, and super-supportive of big sis Daisy, deserves her own RBD and HEA when she grows up! Or better yet, maybe she'll be an RBD herself!
- Some actual physical contact, besides a hard kiss or two and being pushed into cars and gently hauled about. Sure, it's just his thumb gently rubbing her neck but for Betty, that's explicit sex! (I found it pretty hot too, hee.) Our RBD is openly admiring of her great legs and how she fills out a nighty too!
This is my third or fourth BN British hero in a row, and often I find that Betty's RBDs (and British non-doctor heroes too) on on the more jerk end of her spectrum (looking at you, Charles, Charles, and Simon--oh yeah, and let's not forget freaking Jake). But Valentine, despite a few coldly angry moments, was mostly goodnatured and goodhumored, given to wide grins and teasing. Nothing too remarkable or memorable in this one (except when the heroine faces down a bunch of drunken louts who invade the hospital to smash stuff up), but a decent 3.5* BN read for me.
Car porn: Hero drives the standard Rolls Royce. I assume Silver Spur, since our vast doctors need the extra 4 inches it afforded over the Silver Spirit model. ;-)
Daisy is on the snappish side of BN heroines but not as annoying as some. Her "valentine" is the hero, Rich British Doctor Valentine Seymour, who is intrigued by heroine from the get-go, despite her being one of Betty's small "plain" heroines with beautiful eyes. Before long, "intrigued by" has turned to "besotted with."
Some familiar elements:
- The helpless parent (this one Daisy's loving, widowed mother, whose sheltered upbringing/marriage has left her unable to fend for her own little self.
- As a result, Daisy has no job training and had to leave university to take over household management for her bird-brained (but sweet) mama.
- Trip to Holland (as temporary nanny to Valentine's bratty twin niece and nephew).
- OM/OW drama (super mild in this one, and mainly cause for the hero's extreme jealousy). Daisy gets mad at the hero at one point and tells him she hopes the OW gets him, because he deserves her, hee.
- Hospital setting for much of it (Valentine gets Daisy a job as an orderly--a job which everyone tells her is most unsuitable for her ladylike self, but BN heroines don't mind hard work and aren't snooty about it either).
- Abrupt declarations and HEA at very end--Betty liked to keep the drama and misunderstandings going to the very end!
Some unusual things:
- Valentine is teasing and lighthearted and pretty unreserved for a BN hero! He likes to wind our heroine up, and she fluffs her fur every time.
- A very nice sister for once! 15-year-old sister Pamela, pretty, smart, and super-supportive of big sis Daisy, deserves her own RBD and HEA when she grows up! Or better yet, maybe she'll be an RBD herself!
- Some actual physical contact, besides a hard kiss or two and being pushed into cars and gently hauled about. Sure, it's just his thumb gently rubbing her neck but for Betty, that's explicit sex! (I found it pretty hot too, hee.) Our RBD is openly admiring of her great legs and how she fills out a nighty too!
This is my third or fourth BN British hero in a row, and often I find that Betty's RBDs (and British non-doctor heroes too) on on the more jerk end of her spectrum (looking at you, Charles, Charles, and Simon--oh yeah, and let's not forget freaking Jake). But Valentine, despite a few coldly angry moments, was mostly goodnatured and goodhumored, given to wide grins and teasing. Nothing too remarkable or memorable in this one (except when the heroine faces down a bunch of drunken louts who invade the hospital to smash stuff up), but a decent 3.5* BN read for me.
Car porn: Hero drives the standard Rolls Royce. I assume Silver Spur, since our vast doctors need the extra 4 inches it afforded over the Silver Spirit model. ;-)
May 31, 2018
I had been on a Betty Neel book marathon and read several of her books back to back. This is one of them.
This again is a hospital romance. Doesn't start as one but ends up with Daisy eventually working in the hospital where Valentine is a pediatrician.
Daisy is the definition is a simple mousy girl who doesn't think very highly of herself and makes do with whatever is in hand, literally (one of the memorable scenes is where she makes a skirt out of curtains).
Valentine meets Daisy and there is an instant liking for Daisy from his side. This liking eventually turns into love. Now here I found Betty Neels diverting a bit from her general story-line because I can recall 2 clear instances where Valentine actually openly flirts with Daisy (quiet unheard of in Betty's romances)
This is a decent read. Not her best and not my favorite but still good enough to make me go
This again is a hospital romance. Doesn't start as one but ends up with Daisy eventually working in the hospital where Valentine is a pediatrician.
Daisy is the definition is a simple mousy girl who doesn't think very highly of herself and makes do with whatever is in hand, literally (one of the memorable scenes is where she makes a skirt out of curtains).
Valentine meets Daisy and there is an instant liking for Daisy from his side. This liking eventually turns into love. Now here I found Betty Neels diverting a bit from her general story-line because I can recall 2 clear instances where Valentine actually openly flirts with Daisy (quiet unheard of in Betty's romances)
This is a decent read. Not her best and not my favorite but still good enough to make me go
May 13, 2017
On my recent reread, I was delighted that Daisy is the heroine who, a la Scarlett O'Hara, transformed a curtain into a dressy skirt. And moreover, the RBD recognized it as such and STILL fell in love with her.
It is also the one where the H strokes the back of the h's neck with his thumb. Hot! Well, for TGB, anyway.
Daisy Pelham is a daycare assistant, but she soon loses this job after a bout of food poisoning; the owner is a pinchpenny who hires a dodgy cook and all the children become very ill.
Daisy's mother is loving, but apparently a ball of fluff who cannot manage after Daisy’s father dies unexpectedly. Younger sister, Pamela, is helpful and apparently brilliant, as she wants to become a scientist. Hence Daisy toiling away in a dead-end job and getting sacked by the nasty Mrs. Gower-Jones who ineptly runs the daycare.
The RBD, Valentine Seymour, whom Daisy has seen twice, gets her a job as his sister's mother's help, who has two adorably naughty twins. This means she sees quite a bit of Uncle Val, both in Steeple Langford where Lady Thorley lives and in den Haag where Sir Hugh is posted temporarily. Daisy meets an embassy clerk who lives downstairs – Phillip Keynes – who is “the kind of man she would like to marry.” Yeah, not buying that, Daisy – you really want to marry Valentine. Later, Daisy thinks of Phillip as a brother, which is a good thing since he and the Children’s Ward Sister fall hopelessly in love at first sight. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
When he tells Daisy she is a splendid nanny, but too kind and forgiving, she responds sharply, even saying, “. . . nothing will give me greater pleasure than the thought that I need never see you again. . . “I do hope Mevrouw van Taal manages to catch you; you deserve her.” Valentine is first outraged, then grins with delight.
In den Haag, the Thorleys hear about a real governess looking for a job so Daisy gets sacked before she expects it. Valentine picks her up at the airport and drives her home. He secretly arranges for her to be hired at the hospital in Salisbury as an orderly; when she is placed with an old batttleaxe, he gets her moved to Children’s, where the staff is kind and friendly.
The twins were genuinely fond of Daisy (no doubt she will be their favourite aunt) and once back in Steeple Langford, Lady Thorley invites Daisy to come for tea with them. She is modeling figures from clay for the twins when Valentine comes up behind her and puts his hands over her eyes in a “guess who” game. Once she guesses, his hands rest on her shoulders, and then he begins to “stroke the back of her neck with a thumb, which, although wholly delightful, she soon put a stop to by getting up quickly. . .”
We see some of Valentine’s inner monologue and realize that he is in love with her long before he admits it evento himself. “What had started as a kindly act towards a girl who had intrigued him had become an overwhelming desire to make life as easy as possible for her. . . He went up to bed . . . resolved to put her out of his mind. . . There was more than enough to occupy it . . . he would find himself a wife and settle down.” The doctor. . . had no idea how foolish that resolve was.
Valentine has the idea that Daisy and Phillip are a couple, and it makes him quite unhappy. Then when Daisy tells him rather absently about Phillip and Sister Carter meeting, we see him “smiling, a slow tender smile which made him look years younger. He drove to his sister’s house, whistling softly under his breath, and Belle (his dog). . . sat on the back seat and thumped her tail happily.”
Daisy spends a weekend with the Thorleys and Valentine sees her in a nightgown, which, he says, made getting up early “very worthwhile.”
Soon after this, Daisy has her DR. While she is contemplating whether to leave the hospital and never see Valentine again, her coworker, Maisie, fails to show up for work; Daisy finds her ill and her animals uncared for. Valentine takes the animals and arranges for Maisie to be hospitalized and finds her a new place to live. Valentine takes Daisy to his home in Salisbury, near the Cathedral in The Close, and gives her dinner – she falls asleep.
A mob of hooligans invades the hospital and catches Daisy off guard. Valentine comes to the rescue – she calls him “Valentine,” and he calls her “my darling.” He takes her home and explains what happened; when Pamela asks if she was scared, Daisy bursts into tears and runs from the room. Pamela asks Valentine if he is in love with her and he says, “Oh, yes.”
A few days later, Valentine is back from Holland and sends for Daisy to come to Sister’s office. Lovely Declaration and Proposal!
Daisy and Valentine are an interesting couple. He’s one of the more extroverted RBDs/RDDs, and he rather pokes and prods Daisy into showing emotion, even to the point of losing her temper. You get the feeling they will have a fun marriage – probably some disagreements and making up.
It is also the one where the H strokes the back of the h's neck with his thumb. Hot! Well, for TGB, anyway.
Daisy Pelham is a daycare assistant, but she soon loses this job after a bout of food poisoning; the owner is a pinchpenny who hires a dodgy cook and all the children become very ill.
Daisy's mother is loving, but apparently a ball of fluff who cannot manage after Daisy’s father dies unexpectedly. Younger sister, Pamela, is helpful and apparently brilliant, as she wants to become a scientist. Hence Daisy toiling away in a dead-end job and getting sacked by the nasty Mrs. Gower-Jones who ineptly runs the daycare.
The RBD, Valentine Seymour, whom Daisy has seen twice, gets her a job as his sister's mother's help, who has two adorably naughty twins. This means she sees quite a bit of Uncle Val, both in Steeple Langford where Lady Thorley lives and in den Haag where Sir Hugh is posted temporarily. Daisy meets an embassy clerk who lives downstairs – Phillip Keynes – who is “the kind of man she would like to marry.” Yeah, not buying that, Daisy – you really want to marry Valentine. Later, Daisy thinks of Phillip as a brother, which is a good thing since he and the Children’s Ward Sister fall hopelessly in love at first sight. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
When he tells Daisy she is a splendid nanny, but too kind and forgiving, she responds sharply, even saying, “. . . nothing will give me greater pleasure than the thought that I need never see you again. . . “I do hope Mevrouw van Taal manages to catch you; you deserve her.” Valentine is first outraged, then grins with delight.
In den Haag, the Thorleys hear about a real governess looking for a job so Daisy gets sacked before she expects it. Valentine picks her up at the airport and drives her home. He secretly arranges for her to be hired at the hospital in Salisbury as an orderly; when she is placed with an old batttleaxe, he gets her moved to Children’s, where the staff is kind and friendly.
The twins were genuinely fond of Daisy (no doubt she will be their favourite aunt) and once back in Steeple Langford, Lady Thorley invites Daisy to come for tea with them. She is modeling figures from clay for the twins when Valentine comes up behind her and puts his hands over her eyes in a “guess who” game. Once she guesses, his hands rest on her shoulders, and then he begins to “stroke the back of her neck with a thumb, which, although wholly delightful, she soon put a stop to by getting up quickly. . .”
We see some of Valentine’s inner monologue and realize that he is in love with her long before he admits it evento himself. “What had started as a kindly act towards a girl who had intrigued him had become an overwhelming desire to make life as easy as possible for her. . . He went up to bed . . . resolved to put her out of his mind. . . There was more than enough to occupy it . . . he would find himself a wife and settle down.” The doctor. . . had no idea how foolish that resolve was.
Valentine has the idea that Daisy and Phillip are a couple, and it makes him quite unhappy. Then when Daisy tells him rather absently about Phillip and Sister Carter meeting, we see him “smiling, a slow tender smile which made him look years younger. He drove to his sister’s house, whistling softly under his breath, and Belle (his dog). . . sat on the back seat and thumped her tail happily.”
Daisy spends a weekend with the Thorleys and Valentine sees her in a nightgown, which, he says, made getting up early “very worthwhile.”
Soon after this, Daisy has her DR. While she is contemplating whether to leave the hospital and never see Valentine again, her coworker, Maisie, fails to show up for work; Daisy finds her ill and her animals uncared for. Valentine takes the animals and arranges for Maisie to be hospitalized and finds her a new place to live. Valentine takes Daisy to his home in Salisbury, near the Cathedral in The Close, and gives her dinner – she falls asleep.
A mob of hooligans invades the hospital and catches Daisy off guard. Valentine comes to the rescue – she calls him “Valentine,” and he calls her “my darling.” He takes her home and explains what happened; when Pamela asks if she was scared, Daisy bursts into tears and runs from the room. Pamela asks Valentine if he is in love with her and he says, “Oh, yes.”
A few days later, Valentine is back from Holland and sends for Daisy to come to Sister’s office. Lovely Declaration and Proposal!
Daisy and Valentine are an interesting couple. He’s one of the more extroverted RBDs/RDDs, and he rather pokes and prods Daisy into showing emotion, even to the point of losing her temper. You get the feeling they will have a fun marriage – probably some disagreements and making up.
June 9, 2020
Creo que todos los cánones Betty están en esta novelita.
Ir en bici al trabajo, hacer ropa con cortinas, trabajar en lo que se pueda, ser despedida de un día para el otro... Me encanta cómo con sus detalles, Betty sigue haciéndome emocionar cuando me encuentro con una de su obras más inspiradas. Todas tienen lo suyo, pero esta es una de esas que te calientan el corazoncito.
Ir en bici al trabajo, hacer ropa con cortinas, trabajar en lo que se pueda, ser despedida de un día para el otro... Me encanta cómo con sus detalles, Betty sigue haciéndome emocionar cuando me encuentro con una de su obras más inspiradas. Todas tienen lo suyo, pero esta es una de esas que te calientan el corazoncito.
January 3, 2025
Just like most of Betty neels' novel, the hero is a rich doctor, heroine has a family to support, takes up any available job like helper,nanny etc as she is not trained in anything. The hero arranges various jobs for her so that she is somewhere around him as he has started liking her. Finally, they confess their love and marry.
November 26, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ I really like the RBD who was a kind pediatrican, but Daisy could be quite irritable with hiim even though she was very nice with others. There were nice family members and staff, lots of animals and food (gallons of coffee), but very little shopping.
November 27, 2024
This turned out to be delightful. Betty threw in some nice unique extras. I will definitely keep this one in my collection.
July 27, 2018
3.8* 1993
This stands out for the following:
1. That infamous skirt made out of brocade...CURTAIN! A la Scarlett O'Hara! Awesome resourceful heroine and sister hehe!
2. Our hero Valentine rubbed Daisy's neck with his thumb... This before any love declaration! And he got an eyeful of her legs in the emergency room early on, then later another encounter of her in her nightie, NOT winceyette ones ;) The Great Betty is heating things up for her couple!
3. I cannot think of another BN hero who thought so much about our heroine, angsty, fighting his feelings, resolving to forget her, failing terribly and even getting into a jealous rage that only his nearest and dearest could see in spite of his formidable control! Never before had we been given so much insight into our hero's feelings! I love it!
No idea when our RBD Valentine gave in and decided to love our Daisy and stop fighting his thoughts and feelings, but it's lovely to see him display his playful side to Daisy, even if he was genuinely a great and fun uncle to the twin terrors. Why are RB(/D)Ds cursed with useless sisters?! The way they had let Daisy go in Holland was not well done. Honestly they could afford it, couldn't they have just given Daisy at least a week's notice? They already overworked her by giving her only one day off a week, no off during the long days.
To me the story dragged on too long in the second half, maybe it was to give Daisy time to get over her antipathy towards Valentine, which was in reaction to her belief that he disliked her based on their first couple of meetings? Val called her "pigheaded" and indeed she was, while in Holland and back in Wilton.
It was so sweet of Val to arrange things for Daisy behind her back to improve her life situation.
Poor Daisy, so self sacrificing, deserved a rich man like Val to cherish her and whisk her away from her hard life!
This stands out for the following:
1. That infamous skirt made out of brocade...CURTAIN! A la Scarlett O'Hara! Awesome resourceful heroine and sister hehe!
2. Our hero Valentine rubbed Daisy's neck with his thumb... This before any love declaration! And he got an eyeful of her legs in the emergency room early on, then later another encounter of her in her nightie, NOT winceyette ones ;) The Great Betty is heating things up for her couple!
3. I cannot think of another BN hero who thought so much about our heroine, angsty, fighting his feelings, resolving to forget her, failing terribly and even getting into a jealous rage that only his nearest and dearest could see in spite of his formidable control! Never before had we been given so much insight into our hero's feelings! I love it!
No idea when our RBD Valentine gave in and decided to love our Daisy and stop fighting his thoughts and feelings, but it's lovely to see him display his playful side to Daisy, even if he was genuinely a great and fun uncle to the twin terrors. Why are RB(/D)Ds cursed with useless sisters?! The way they had let Daisy go in Holland was not well done. Honestly they could afford it, couldn't they have just given Daisy at least a week's notice? They already overworked her by giving her only one day off a week, no off during the long days.
To me the story dragged on too long in the second half, maybe it was to give Daisy time to get over her antipathy towards Valentine, which was in reaction to her belief that he disliked her based on their first couple of meetings? Val called her "pigheaded" and indeed she was, while in Holland and back in Wilton.
It was so sweet of Val to arrange things for Daisy behind her back to improve her life situation.
Poor Daisy, so self sacrificing, deserved a rich man like Val to cherish her and whisk her away from her hard life!
June 11, 2010
Not one of Betty's best but certainly not her worst.
I really don't remember having read this before, though I suppose I did, as I read almost all Betty Neels books I could get my hands on.
Our Daisy is young, untrained and plain. Our RBD(Rich British Doctor) is Dr. Valentine Seymour. The kids in question are the 4 year old twin terrors who call Dr Seymour "Uncle Val". Plot doesn't really matter, because hey, it's Betty Neels! You know there will be a happy ending. We get our happy ending, but the journey there was not pretty.
Only for die-hard Neels fans.
I really don't remember having read this before, though I suppose I did, as I read almost all Betty Neels books I could get my hands on.
Our Daisy is young, untrained and plain. Our RBD(Rich British Doctor) is Dr. Valentine Seymour. The kids in question are the 4 year old twin terrors who call Dr Seymour "Uncle Val". Plot doesn't really matter, because hey, it's Betty Neels! You know there will be a happy ending. We get our happy ending, but the journey there was not pretty.
Only for die-hard Neels fans.
April 15, 2018
Leí esta novela bajo el título “El último paso” la protagonista es Daisy Pelham una jovencita de 22 años que trabaja en una guardería cuidando niños. Ella es el sostén principal de su hogar( una buena madre y una hermana pequeña que estudia) y aunque no ha concluido sus estudios se empleará como niñera. Daisy es muy amable y paciente con los niños. A pesar de su poco atractivo (es fea le repiten sus allegados y nunca tuvo novio)conocerá al pediatra Valentine Seymour con quien establecerá una entrañable relación que nos hará suspirar de amor.
February 15, 2022
Not one of her best, though I really enjoyed the (British) Doctor. He's a nice man who treats everyone well, and I like that. The problem was mostly Daisy, who was too bland, and the total lack of plot. There's never a lot of action in these books, but somethings has to happen besides the heroine going to work, and here any real action was lacking.
February 18, 2017
Rolls Royce
4 1/2
This was an awesome Neels. One of her later works so there's the down on her luck heroine who hasn't had training in anything due to her father's death, her younger sister still in school and her mother who's hopeless at household finance.
The RBD, Valentine, is just lovely. Of course he arranges jobs for Daisy. Introduces himself to her mother. Watches her from his window. Best scene possibly in any Neels I've read to date: when he sneaks up on her in the nursery and says, "Guess who?" He drops his hands to her shoulders and then proceeds to massage her neck with his thumb. Be still my heart.
4 1/2
This was an awesome Neels. One of her later works so there's the down on her luck heroine who hasn't had training in anything due to her father's death, her younger sister still in school and her mother who's hopeless at household finance.
The RBD, Valentine, is just lovely. Of course he arranges jobs for Daisy. Introduces himself to her mother. Watches her from his window. Best scene possibly in any Neels I've read to date: when he sneaks up on her in the nursery and says, "Guess who?" He drops his hands to her shoulders and then proceeds to massage her neck with his thumb. Be still my heart.
March 9, 2012
Sweet as always. Classic Betty Neels
October 28, 2012
Solidly in the Classic Betty Neels category.
Reliably romantic in a gentle way, comparatively speaking.
Reliably romantic in a gentle way, comparatively speaking.
June 3, 2013
Dr Valentine an excellent pediatrician but not so mannered with adult patients. Or is Daisy misjudging him?
November 25, 2013
The usual Betty Neels.
July 2, 2016
A Valentine for the Reader
Lovely story in the best of Neels' style. Would like to meet most of the characters in this story - so real are they drawn.
Lovely story in the best of Neels' style. Would like to meet most of the characters in this story - so real are they drawn.
November 27, 2017
No Dutch doctor this time
A great story, although I was hesitant when I started reading. After the first chapter I loved every bit of the story
A great story, although I was hesitant when I started reading. After the first chapter I loved every bit of the story
October 24, 2022
Betty Neels !
Love all her books!
Classic Betty Neels style!
Love all her books!
Classic Betty Neels style!
October 22, 2025
4.5 stars. Great story, even if it wasn't one of the super angsty ones I love the best. H was cool and icy at points, esp as heroine seemed to take an instant dislike to him and assumed he felt the same, but this was one of Betty's stories where the H pretty much helps out the h since the first moment he sets eyes on her.
the h is a plain jane nanny and the H is a rich brit doc. they first glimpse each other as he is passing by in his fancy car then she accuses him of nearly running her over while she's riding her bike. she officially meets him when his little nephew and niece, who attend the nursery she works at, get food poisoning and she takes them to his hospital. various shenanigans including overseas travel ensue. most revolves around him getting her jobs while she remains oblivious to his involvement. all thebstewlth dating happens while she is nannying his nephew and niece and also while they are helping out a hospital employee who gets sick. he doesn't actually take her out on any real dates in this one.
there isn't any real OW drama but there is some mild OM drama, where she feels the OM is more like a brother but the H sees them together and gets jealous.
anyway, it was a nicely gentle read with both MCs being very likable.
the h is a plain jane nanny and the H is a rich brit doc. they first glimpse each other as he is passing by in his fancy car then she accuses him of nearly running her over while she's riding her bike. she officially meets him when his little nephew and niece, who attend the nursery she works at, get food poisoning and she takes them to his hospital. various shenanigans including overseas travel ensue. most revolves around him getting her jobs while she remains oblivious to his involvement. all thebstewlth dating happens while she is nannying his nephew and niece and also while they are helping out a hospital employee who gets sick. he doesn't actually take her out on any real dates in this one.
there isn't any real OW drama but there is some mild OM drama, where she feels the OM is more like a brother but the H sees them together and gets jealous.
anyway, it was a nicely gentle read with both MCs being very likable.
February 17, 2022
"She was a sensible girl, not given to discontent, although she dreamed of meeting a man who would fall in love with her, marry her and take over the small burdens of her life."
"...she was sure that he was bone-weary although there was no sign of that, and she had a great urge to do something about it - a sensation which welled up inside her and left her feeling breathless.."
It lacked so much plot and the premise had been promising. Daisy was just working all the time, and the RBD didn't even take her out to dinner, which was unusual for Betty. I liked the ending though, abrupt as usual, but it was okay.
"...she was sure that he was bone-weary although there was no sign of that, and she had a great urge to do something about it - a sensation which welled up inside her and left her feeling breathless.."
It lacked so much plot and the premise had been promising. Daisy was just working all the time, and the RBD didn't even take her out to dinner, which was unusual for Betty. I liked the ending though, abrupt as usual, but it was okay.
April 12, 2021
So-so. I had trouble staying awake, but it was OK. I loved the skirt made from a curtain.
February 15, 2023
Sometimes you just need a Betty Neels novel; and while this one has the oh-so-rare non-Dutch hero, it also has a pleasant heroine and a storyline that makes it clear the doctor is head-over-heels for Daisy nice and early with none of this "dating an evil Dutch widow" nonsense (an evil Dutch widow does make a brief appearance with her "sugary" voice, but it's clear he's not interested).
October 7, 2024
Dr. Valentine Seymour was overbearing, arrogant and dictatorial but he was a brilliant pediatrician and loved by his patients.
Daisy Pelham was a nurse and had to admit his skills and eventually she fell in love with him but he didn't respond.
Eventually they both realized they loved each other.....
Daisy Pelham was a nurse and had to admit his skills and eventually she fell in love with him but he didn't respond.
Eventually they both realized they loved each other.....
June 23, 2018
Loved the story.
I always enjoy books by Betty Neels! They connect to my heart and make me feel like love is possible for a girl like me.
I always enjoy books by Betty Neels! They connect to my heart and make me feel like love is possible for a girl like me.
February 9, 2020
Betty Neels keywords:
plain English nanny/orderly heroine, food poisoning at daycare, English pediatrician hero, hero's twin niece and nephew, skirt made out of curtains
plain English nanny/orderly heroine, food poisoning at daycare, English pediatrician hero, hero's twin niece and nephew, skirt made out of curtains
November 26, 2020
Insta-love again. But I do really like Betty Neels depictions of life in general.
March 19, 2021
I love heroine on this one! She's one of BN's best
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