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Love Can Wait
Famous worldwide for her tender romances featuring exciting locales, Dutch doctors and kind people, Betty Neels' stories continue to captivate everyone. These four earlier works offer readers the rare opportunity to add her earlier, sought-after stories to their collection.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 1998
41 people are currently reading
147 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 32 reviews
February 7, 2023
I enjoyed this Betty a lot! The hero is English, which is definitely a change from other Neels I've read. The heroine, Kate, works as a housekeeper in the hero James' aunt's house. The aunt is indolent and selfish and disposed to think that no one else works as hard as she does. (Spoiler: she doesn't work at all.) Kate is an excellent housekeeper and a first-rate cook; she has a dream of opening her own catering business. Once James gets to know Kate, he intercedes for her with his aunt numerous times. He's delightfully good at manipulating the aunt in Kate's favor, including inspiring the aunt to take Kate as her companion on a month-long holiday in Norway. I enjoyed the descriptions of Norway very much. Of course James shows up there as well since he's a pediatrician and lectures widely... (Sound familiar?)
Kate has a widowed mother, and they have a delightful relationship. James gets to know Kate's mother as well and they have fun tête-à-têtes behind Kate's back (all to good purpose!). James helps Kate get another job with an aunt on his father's side and engineers things so that all ends happily. James was beginning to remind me of Bertie Wooster with all his aunts! There is the spector of another woman in this, but thankfully the dreaded Claudia doesn't loom very large.
Like the other Neels I've read, I found a wholesome pleasure in this. The hero and heroine are admirable, thoughtful people. The desccriptions of food are an added bonus.
Kate has a widowed mother, and they have a delightful relationship. James gets to know Kate's mother as well and they have fun tête-à-têtes behind Kate's back (all to good purpose!). James helps Kate get another job with an aunt on his father's side and engineers things so that all ends happily. James was beginning to remind me of Bertie Wooster with all his aunts! There is the spector of another woman in this, but thankfully the dreaded Claudia doesn't loom very large.
Like the other Neels I've read, I found a wholesome pleasure in this. The hero and heroine are admirable, thoughtful people. The desccriptions of food are an added bonus.
June 6, 2021
This was a re-read.
It is an okay one by Betty; definitely not one of her best. The heroine got in the way of a good story. If I were the hero, I might have been tempted to run off with the OW.
It is an okay one by Betty; definitely not one of her best. The heroine got in the way of a good story. If I were the hero, I might have been tempted to run off with the OW.
January 4, 2015
This is a later story with an English hero and a non-nursing heroine.
James Tait-Bouverie meets Kate at his selfish aunts residence where she is working as a housekeeper. Of course they don't get on at first but find themselves thinking about each other afterwards.
Kate isn't interested in romance. Her ambition is to start her own catering company to support herself and her mother after they lost everything on her father's death.
There really isn't a lot to the story but it is engaging nevertheless. James keeps turning up and when he influences his aunt to visit Norway and take Kate as her companion, he spends some time with Kate.
There is the prerequisite other woman but only really in the mind of the selfish aunt and Kate's misconception. We get to see inside James' mind enough to know he has no time for the ambition little hussy.
Overall a sweet story with James swooping in and helping out when Kate's mother is ill thus bringing Kate into his world and to the prerequisite Happy Ever After.
James Tait-Bouverie meets Kate at his selfish aunts residence where she is working as a housekeeper. Of course they don't get on at first but find themselves thinking about each other afterwards.
Kate isn't interested in romance. Her ambition is to start her own catering company to support herself and her mother after they lost everything on her father's death.
There really isn't a lot to the story but it is engaging nevertheless. James keeps turning up and when he influences his aunt to visit Norway and take Kate as her companion, he spends some time with Kate.
There is the prerequisite other woman but only really in the mind of the selfish aunt and Kate's misconception. We get to see inside James' mind enough to know he has no time for the ambition little hussy.
Overall a sweet story with James swooping in and helping out when Kate's mother is ill thus bringing Kate into his world and to the prerequisite Happy Ever After.
May 20, 2015
Kate Crosby may be reduced to domestic work, but at least she has skills - she is a Cordon Bleu cook and has ambitions to own her own catering business. In the meantime, she is more or less content to serve as housekeeper to Lady Cowder in spite of that lady's parsimony and unpleasant manners.
As Fate Would Have It, Lady Cowder is aunt to our RBD, James Tait-Bouverie, who is definitely Interested in tall, russet-haired, shapely Kate.
Just when Kate has saved enough money to start her catering, she gets mugged. Here are those Plot Device Hoodlums again! James knows how unhappy Kate is working for his aunt so he helps her get a job for a different, much more kindly aunt - on his father's side this time.
There is also a trip to Norway, but since Kate and we see little outside the hotel, we'll gloss over that, along with Mother Crosby's health issues - first a broken arm and then a dicky appendix. Of course Mr. Tait-Bouverie is there to smooth out the rough places and possess his soul in patience until Kate falls for him.
An enjoyable read. Kate has skills and ambition. James waits patiently for her to fall in love. Lady Cowder tries to push her goddaughter at James but she is never a Big Obstacle to the course of true love.
As Fate Would Have It, Lady Cowder is aunt to our RBD, James Tait-Bouverie, who is definitely Interested in tall, russet-haired, shapely Kate.
Just when Kate has saved enough money to start her catering, she gets mugged. Here are those Plot Device Hoodlums again! James knows how unhappy Kate is working for his aunt so he helps her get a job for a different, much more kindly aunt - on his father's side this time.
There is also a trip to Norway, but since Kate and we see little outside the hotel, we'll gloss over that, along with Mother Crosby's health issues - first a broken arm and then a dicky appendix. Of course Mr. Tait-Bouverie is there to smooth out the rough places and possess his soul in patience until Kate falls for him.
An enjoyable read. Kate has skills and ambition. James waits patiently for her to fall in love. Lady Cowder tries to push her goddaughter at James but she is never a Big Obstacle to the course of true love.
October 8, 2010
Another enjoyable romance from Betty Neels. Here we have a very pretty girl, an accomplished cook and loaded with ambition. Unfortunately, she has no money and must work - in this case, for a demanding woman. Along comes the hero who while first acting out of chivalry, tries to make her life a bit easier. Then he falls for her, but of course, he is not sure how she feels about him - so he waits secure in the knowledge that he knows where she is at all times. Very romantic!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2018
“Una mujer orgullosa”es el título al español. Mmmm está novela no está mal pero últimamente estoy más exigente en mis lecturas. Digamos que me gusto pero no me hizo estremecer como otras novelas betty.Aquí la heroína es Kate Crosby una joven de buena familia pero que debe trabajar de cocinera para una señora bastante insoportable, q es tía de nuestro doctor de turno James Tait -Bouviere.El hombre es cuestión apenas la ve queda enganchada de ella y la socorre en diferentes situaciones. Él sabe que va a casarse con ella si o si.es paciente y amigable con Kate y bastante accesible. Lo bueno es q no duda de besarla mucho y admirar su belleza y carácter.
October 3, 2024
Cute read with likable main characters. Perfect if you are in the mood for a light and fluffy romance.
March 21, 2020
This was an enjoyable two-day read, but not one of my absolute favorites. Betty Neels has all the requisite plot points here: heroine a bit down on her luck, doctor (English, not Dutch), houses, nice car, servants in the above-mentioned houses, heroine's mother, and assorted pets. They come together well, but I was very impatient for these two to get to the point. Also, James seems to put the cart before the horse, making so many plans for the future before he even proposes. He seems a little too sure of himself. My favorite character is Mudd, James's faithful manservant. Always one step ahead of his employer. Lady Cowder and her niece, Claudia, were a little overdone. Can anybody be so nasty and self-centered? I guess they can, and Betty knows how to write them.
February 5, 2017
This was my first Betty Neels and I can see why lots of people like her. The entire thing was rather serene. I can see picking these up at moments of gross upset and being soothed. That said, it wasn't entirely perfect.
In Love Can What, the heroine is in service because her father died leaving her and her mother virtually penniless. She works as a cook for a petty tyrant of an old woman who underpays her and doesn't appreciate her. The heroine has aspirations though. She wants to earn enough to open her own catering business. The hero is a surgeon and the old woman's nephew. He takes an interest in the heroine and tries to ease her way throughout the book before declaring his intentions at the very end.
I really enjoyed the hero's devotion and determination. Throughout the book he's a supremely nice guy, if a little presumptuous, and he clearly has the heroine's best interests at heart. For her part, she's a little dense and a little bit of a doormat, but she is truly steely in attaining her goals throughout the book, even through multiple set-backs.
If I have anything negative to say, well, this book was published in 1997 and there's a mobile phone in it so I don't think it was a reprint. But it basically reads likes it's set in the 1970s. I'm sure there were/are situations like this still in existence, but I can help but think that most upper middle class Brits no longer conduct their lives quite this way. Plus a lot of the amounts of money seemed peculiarly out-dated. The worst part though was the end. If you're end kind of feminist, you will be moderately annoyed. It wasn't enough to ruin the pleasantness of the read for me. It's not actively misogynistic. It was just eye-rollingly regressive.
That said, I did enjoy my first Betty Neels. If you can accept that this is her world and you're just touring it, you will be in for a very pleasant, calming read.
In Love Can What, the heroine is in service because her father died leaving her and her mother virtually penniless. She works as a cook for a petty tyrant of an old woman who underpays her and doesn't appreciate her. The heroine has aspirations though. She wants to earn enough to open her own catering business. The hero is a surgeon and the old woman's nephew. He takes an interest in the heroine and tries to ease her way throughout the book before declaring his intentions at the very end.
I really enjoyed the hero's devotion and determination. Throughout the book he's a supremely nice guy, if a little presumptuous, and he clearly has the heroine's best interests at heart. For her part, she's a little dense and a little bit of a doormat, but she is truly steely in attaining her goals throughout the book, even through multiple set-backs.
If I have anything negative to say, well, this book was published in 1997 and there's a mobile phone in it so I don't think it was a reprint. But it basically reads likes it's set in the 1970s. I'm sure there were/are situations like this still in existence, but I can help but think that most upper middle class Brits no longer conduct their lives quite this way. Plus a lot of the amounts of money seemed peculiarly out-dated. The worst part though was the end. If you're end kind of feminist, you will be moderately annoyed. It wasn't enough to ruin the pleasantness of the read for me. It's not actively misogynistic. It was just eye-rollingly regressive.
That said, I did enjoy my first Betty Neels. If you can accept that this is her world and you're just touring it, you will be in for a very pleasant, calming read.
August 19, 2021
While it's hard to wrong with a Betty Neels, this was not one of my favorites.
Let's get the car out of the way. It's a Bentley.
In Regency times, Kate would have been the dreaded "poor relation". Here, she's been modernized a bit and instead of "companion" (although she does that too), she's a housekeeper-cum-chef with a dream of owning her own catering business. Unlike most Neels' heroines, she's a bit older at 27. Still 8 years younger than James though.
James is likable enough. He realizes pretty early on that Kate's the one for him and there's very little angst or drama - even with the mean aunt who tries to push Claudia at him. James bluntly tells Claudia it ain't happening and continues on the path of wooing Kate.
Unlike some of Neels' later heroines, Kate's neither a shrinking violet (although she has grin and bear the mean aunt's treatment) nor plain with remarkable eyes. She's curvy and attractive and in another shout-out to Regencies, James actually thinks about what it'd be like to remove the pins from her hair and let it cascade down her shoulders.
Let's get the car out of the way. It's a Bentley.
In Regency times, Kate would have been the dreaded "poor relation". Here, she's been modernized a bit and instead of "companion" (although she does that too), she's a housekeeper-cum-chef with a dream of owning her own catering business. Unlike most Neels' heroines, she's a bit older at 27. Still 8 years younger than James though.
James is likable enough. He realizes pretty early on that Kate's the one for him and there's very little angst or drama - even with the mean aunt who tries to push Claudia at him. James bluntly tells Claudia it ain't happening and continues on the path of wooing Kate.
Unlike some of Neels' later heroines, Kate's neither a shrinking violet (although she has grin and bear the mean aunt's treatment) nor plain with remarkable eyes. She's curvy and attractive and in another shout-out to Regencies, James actually thinks about what it'd be like to remove the pins from her hair and let it cascade down her shoulders.
July 6, 2011
I love Betty Neels because she reminds me of the English roots of romance--Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Georgette Heyer. She uses the same elements over and over--heroine in dire straits and masterful hero usually a doctor. In this book, Love Can Wait , she does use the hero's point of view which was something she dabbled with in her later books. And they travel to Norway not Holland as usual. As an American, I'm always interested in the element of "class" differences which can separate a couple. In America that really doesn't exist for 90%. I think it must only be a reality for the SUPER rich who inherit wealth. So that's an intriguing difference between American and English romance. One difference in this romance, Betty Neels creates a curvacious and beautiful heroine instead of her usual Plain Jane. Like that. If you've never read a Betty Neels romance, you should at least try one. But remember it's not your American Harlequin, definitely the charming English cousin.
August 4, 2014
After listening to my mother's remarks about these books, my father's theory is that there is no Betty Neels -- just a computer that scrambles the requisite elements (Dutch doctor, downtrodden heroine, assorted cats and dogs, evil fiance who hates children, various calamities, and faithful old family retainers) and spits out a new one.
did-not-finish
June 21, 2015What I read was just the Harlequin version of 'Love Can Wait,' not the whole compilation.
I'd never read a proper pulp romance novel, so when I saw it at a book sale for ten cents I picked it up, but it's not really my thing. The silliness works for the genre but I couldn't get into it. The name "Tait-Bouverie" had my roommate and I laughing for days, though.
I'd never read a proper pulp romance novel, so when I saw it at a book sale for ten cents I picked it up, but it's not really my thing. The silliness works for the genre but I couldn't get into it. The name "Tait-Bouverie" had my roommate and I laughing for days, though.
August 21, 2013
A pleasant read:)
August 25, 2021
"'Are you delighted to see me?' She prudently ignored this."
That quote reminded me of a very similar situation that happened a year ago, when the man I fancied asked me "Ikaw Yan, gi mingaw pud ka nako?" And guess, what, I prudently ignored him.
Anyway, we read here about Kate Crosby, a cook who worked for the tiresome Lady Cowder who is an aunt to Mr. Tait-Bouverie. Kate was forced to slave herself as a housekeeper to make ends meet and to save for her catering business. James Tait-Bouverie, of course, kept noticing her, and was given an opportunity to know her better because of a mutual friend in Dr. Shaw, I guess that was the start of their friendship.
One thing I loved about this read is their trip to Norway, the way Betty wrote their travel seemed so surreal that I felt like I was travelling with them. Kate and James' moments in Norway was also worthwhile it made my heart smile. I love how James would make an effort just to spend time with Kate, and Kate being very much sensible would always refuse but eventually give in. I love how James realized his love for her early in the book and was very patient in waiting for Kate, for the right situation and for the right time. He never even kissed her until the last part, that alone spoke much about James. He has made it to my top 5 of BN's heroes. The ending was very much rushed and I didn't like it. I know that BN tends to rush the ending of her books, but this was far too rushed that it failed to justify the long wait for Kate and James to be finally together.
That quote reminded me of a very similar situation that happened a year ago, when the man I fancied asked me "Ikaw Yan, gi mingaw pud ka nako?" And guess, what, I prudently ignored him.
Anyway, we read here about Kate Crosby, a cook who worked for the tiresome Lady Cowder who is an aunt to Mr. Tait-Bouverie. Kate was forced to slave herself as a housekeeper to make ends meet and to save for her catering business. James Tait-Bouverie, of course, kept noticing her, and was given an opportunity to know her better because of a mutual friend in Dr. Shaw, I guess that was the start of their friendship.
One thing I loved about this read is their trip to Norway, the way Betty wrote their travel seemed so surreal that I felt like I was travelling with them. Kate and James' moments in Norway was also worthwhile it made my heart smile. I love how James would make an effort just to spend time with Kate, and Kate being very much sensible would always refuse but eventually give in. I love how James realized his love for her early in the book and was very patient in waiting for Kate, for the right situation and for the right time. He never even kissed her until the last part, that alone spoke much about James. He has made it to my top 5 of BN's heroes. The ending was very much rushed and I didn't like it. I know that BN tends to rush the ending of her books, but this was far too rushed that it failed to justify the long wait for Kate and James to be finally together.
September 6, 2017
I'd consider this a mid-range entry into the Neels canon, though she apparently wrote it just a few years before her death. In some ways, the story shows a few updates to her style -- the doctor's homes are not quite as palatial; the closing scene involves some daring-for-Neels fashion choices -- but other aspects rehash one of my biggest frustrations with Neels: the extended development of an independent career all readers know the woman will swiftly abandon as soon as she marries the male lead.
As addicted as this summer's reading proves me to be to Neels, I find that recurring treatment of career one of her stories' greatest weaknesses . Even I would like to devote at least a season of my own life to child-rearing, were I to have my druthers, yet I've already thought about the parts of my work that matter most to me and ways I could continue that within the very different schedule of raising young children (should I ever get the chance).
Yet I'm not sure Neels ever wrote a female protagonist whose primary meaningful activities she didn't expect the woman to jettison upon marriage. In most marriage-of-companionship plots, we even see this start to happen, with rare exceptions. For how well Neels creates female characters of a certain type -- and finds ways to draw out their spunk, independence and skill -- it's disappointing that she couldn't show equal imaginative gifts for showing and suggesting how they might bring all those talents to bear on married life, too.
As addicted as this summer's reading proves me to be to Neels, I find that recurring treatment of career one of her stories' greatest weaknesses . Even I would like to devote at least a season of my own life to child-rearing, were I to have my druthers, yet I've already thought about the parts of my work that matter most to me and ways I could continue that within the very different schedule of raising young children (should I ever get the chance).
Yet I'm not sure Neels ever wrote a female protagonist whose primary meaningful activities she didn't expect the woman to jettison upon marriage. In most marriage-of-companionship plots, we even see this start to happen, with rare exceptions. For how well Neels creates female characters of a certain type -- and finds ways to draw out their spunk, independence and skill -- it's disappointing that she couldn't show equal imaginative gifts for showing and suggesting how they might bring all those talents to bear on married life, too.
Read
July 12, 2023Not the typical story
Betty Neels has gone off her usual format with this story. James is a doctor, but Kate isn't a nurse. I've read a few of her stories lately that have been doctors but not necessarily nurses. Anyway, Kate is a determined lady and she's got some great plans for her future! James keeps helping her and of course she isn't thrilled to get the help. James does what all Betty Neels heroes do. He just arranges things without asking. 😂 Never mind that he really is helping. Kate is very prideful, so sometimes he conceals that he's the source of help. James decides pretty early on that he's going to marry Kate and the rest of the story is Kate trying to hide her feelings. It's really a great story and I believe you'll love it as much as I did.
Betty Neels has gone off her usual format with this story. James is a doctor, but Kate isn't a nurse. I've read a few of her stories lately that have been doctors but not necessarily nurses. Anyway, Kate is a determined lady and she's got some great plans for her future! James keeps helping her and of course she isn't thrilled to get the help. James does what all Betty Neels heroes do. He just arranges things without asking. 😂 Never mind that he really is helping. Kate is very prideful, so sometimes he conceals that he's the source of help. James decides pretty early on that he's going to marry Kate and the rest of the story is Kate trying to hide her feelings. It's really a great story and I believe you'll love it as much as I did.
January 14, 2018
One of TGB’s best efforts. Mr Tait-Bouverie, our RBD, is a real dreamboat, and Kate, our downtrodden British cook with aspirations to be a caterer, is spunky, beautiful and well worth Mr. T-B’s time and efforts. Our Veronica is the shrill, unlikeable goddaughter of Kate’s employer; who is the unpleasant younger sister of Mr. T-B. Her pursuit of James is not encouraged and unwelcome and late in the book she is deftly put in her place. Our RBD controls the action and subtlety directs Kate into his waiting arms. Deep sigh.
July 24, 2024
Nice to read plenty of the H's POV, especially since he's well-mannered, thoughtful, and aware that he's in love with the h fairly early on...no interest in the OW, no cranky superiority, no supercilious "silky" exchanges...and there's a tempting Norwegian travelogue as a bonus.
October 2, 2024
Another BN where the hero takes his time to take the heroine out of her misery and say plainly that he doesn’t intend to marry his evil aunt’s evil OW god daughter. But the heroine is lovely. So read it for her.
February 14, 2018
Another great story
Loved it. A pretty girl, a nice mother, no nurse but a capable serious young woman with dreams for her future.
Loved it. A pretty girl, a nice mother, no nurse but a capable serious young woman with dreams for her future.
August 11, 2018
Lovely
If you enjoy your romances clean, light, fluffy and vintage then you will enjoy the wonderful work of Betty Neels
If you enjoy your romances clean, light, fluffy and vintage then you will enjoy the wonderful work of Betty Neels
October 20, 2018
My Favorite
For some reason I can’t fathom this has become my favorite Betty Neels novel. The story reminds me of why I became a Harlequin reader 46 years ago at the age of 13.
For some reason I can’t fathom this has become my favorite Betty Neels novel. The story reminds me of why I became a Harlequin reader 46 years ago at the age of 13.
January 5, 2020
One of the few Neels novels in which the heroine is not a nurse! Also it's not explicitly said in the end, but I hope she got to run her catering business after all.
August 14, 2022
I haven’t come across this book before but I really enjoyed it.
August 19, 2022
Betty Neels is always a pleasant diversion in a crazy world.
October 26, 2023
This book helped me ease myself back into reading. It has its tender moments and the old ashion romance was refreshing. I encourage you to read it.
January 25, 2024
The 5 stars are because it’s a 5 star Betty! A great one of its kind. Love can wait and wait and wait! Gotta love the BDD and the girl might be oblivious but she is sweet.
December 15, 2019
A lovely 1997 book, the characters' names can be 'interesting' and they are not even Dutch!
Our heroine is Kate Crosby, a lady born but fallen on hard times when her father died suddenly without completing the book he was writing. A Cordon Bleu cook, she had grand dreams of starting a catering business and its success will support her and her mother. Luckily her mother Mrs Crosby was really supportive and nice, real lady! She was all willing to even find a job to contribute to the household income while Kate started her biz, and was alway appreciative of how hard Kate worked. She hated having Kate work like a slave for the stingy and mean Lady Cowder.
Kate had to accept working for Lady Cow because it allowed her to be near her mother who's living in a cheap cottage with their cat. And she knew she'd only need suffer till she saved... £100. Kate was convinced with £100 in hand she could convince the bank to give her a biz loan!
Mr James Tait-Bouverie is our Rich British Doctor, a paediatric surgeon who's making a name for himself despite his young 'middle age'! He was only around 35 but back in those days that's considered middle age! He was the nephew of Lady Cow, who's her mother's elder sister.
Knowing his nasty aunt well, James tried in small ways to make life a bit better for Kate, whom he met after a dinner party cooked by Kate at his aunt's which was held in honour of her goddaughter, another b!tch Claudia.
James' found himself unable to stop thinking about Kate, and found himself doing things he had NOT planned like inviting Lady Cow and CLAWdia to his London home in order to give poor Kate's aching feet a break. Oh and time for Kate and mom to go look at shop windows! He thought he must be mad but good manners made him do it...
Then he invited himself to another colleague's house party in order to drive Kate and mom there. At no inconvenience to himself he suggested his aunt go to Norway for a holiday and we did! We got to spend the month in Norway and 'see' the sights with Kate. Lady Cow continued to be mean but James' sporadic appearances made Kate less lonely.
Then James somehow got his paternal aunt Mrs Braithewaite to hire Kate as her cook, and Mrs Crosby got sick. There we keep reading about who was driving whom to the hospital and home and Bosham, James' country cottage which he generously offered to Mrs Crosby for her convalescence.
It might seem draggy but I like how early both of them realise their true feelings for each other. I'm amazed at how perceptive James was to intuit that Kate's in love with him but not quite ready to admit it.
His lovely description of Kate to his mother makes me laugh and wanna swoon. Kate has pride, but 'the right kind.'
This book has a few funny lines, British dry humour at play like the butler Tombs promising to be 'quiet as the grave'! Or how Kate would not call him James because she's cooked for him; James then asked if his wife cooked for him was she to refuse calling him by name too?! LOL love how different James was with the two aunts; obviously he loved his Aunt Edith, Mrs Braithewaite because he was right at home there and all the staff pampered him. He'd be talking to and eating in the kitchen with the staff at ease.
I like how kind and caring he was towards Mrs Crosby right from the start, before even his feelings for Kate became clear to him.
Kate's siliness stemmed from her believing that Lady Cow saying Kames would marry Clawdia...in no way had James ever indicated that, other than that invitation to London...for Kate's benefit but she's not to know.
Oh and HE cooked for her when he realised she's had nothing to eat the whole day prepping for Mrs Braithewaite's birthday luncheon! It's just boiled egg with buttered toaste but still! 😍
No big drama or misunderstanding but still a sweet read.
PS. even the pets are funny. James' dog Prince loved Kate because she's one of a few who knew just the right spot to scratch on his head. Horace the unwanted cat at Lady Cow's knew 'which side the bread is buttered on' and made haste to befriend the Crosby's cat Moggerty...after Kate brought him home.
Re-read Dec 2019: love the book, so many small things like James thinking of Kate 'every inch of the drive' home to London etc. 5*!
Our heroine is Kate Crosby, a lady born but fallen on hard times when her father died suddenly without completing the book he was writing. A Cordon Bleu cook, she had grand dreams of starting a catering business and its success will support her and her mother. Luckily her mother Mrs Crosby was really supportive and nice, real lady! She was all willing to even find a job to contribute to the household income while Kate started her biz, and was alway appreciative of how hard Kate worked. She hated having Kate work like a slave for the stingy and mean Lady Cowder.
Kate had to accept working for Lady Cow because it allowed her to be near her mother who's living in a cheap cottage with their cat. And she knew she'd only need suffer till she saved... £100. Kate was convinced with £100 in hand she could convince the bank to give her a biz loan!
Mr James Tait-Bouverie is our Rich British Doctor, a paediatric surgeon who's making a name for himself despite his young 'middle age'! He was only around 35 but back in those days that's considered middle age! He was the nephew of Lady Cow, who's her mother's elder sister.
Knowing his nasty aunt well, James tried in small ways to make life a bit better for Kate, whom he met after a dinner party cooked by Kate at his aunt's which was held in honour of her goddaughter, another b!tch Claudia.
James' found himself unable to stop thinking about Kate, and found himself doing things he had NOT planned like inviting Lady Cow and CLAWdia to his London home in order to give poor Kate's aching feet a break. Oh and time for Kate and mom to go look at shop windows! He thought he must be mad but good manners made him do it...
Then he invited himself to another colleague's house party in order to drive Kate and mom there. At no inconvenience to himself he suggested his aunt go to Norway for a holiday and we did! We got to spend the month in Norway and 'see' the sights with Kate. Lady Cow continued to be mean but James' sporadic appearances made Kate less lonely.
Then James somehow got his paternal aunt Mrs Braithewaite to hire Kate as her cook, and Mrs Crosby got sick. There we keep reading about who was driving whom to the hospital and home and Bosham, James' country cottage which he generously offered to Mrs Crosby for her convalescence.
It might seem draggy but I like how early both of them realise their true feelings for each other. I'm amazed at how perceptive James was to intuit that Kate's in love with him but not quite ready to admit it.
His lovely description of Kate to his mother makes me laugh and wanna swoon. Kate has pride, but 'the right kind.'
This book has a few funny lines, British dry humour at play like the butler Tombs promising to be 'quiet as the grave'! Or how Kate would not call him James because she's cooked for him; James then asked if his wife cooked for him was she to refuse calling him by name too?! LOL love how different James was with the two aunts; obviously he loved his Aunt Edith, Mrs Braithewaite because he was right at home there and all the staff pampered him. He'd be talking to and eating in the kitchen with the staff at ease.
I like how kind and caring he was towards Mrs Crosby right from the start, before even his feelings for Kate became clear to him.
Kate's siliness stemmed from her believing that Lady Cow saying Kames would marry Clawdia...in no way had James ever indicated that, other than that invitation to London...for Kate's benefit but she's not to know.
Oh and HE cooked for her when he realised she's had nothing to eat the whole day prepping for Mrs Braithewaite's birthday luncheon! It's just boiled egg with buttered toaste but still! 😍
No big drama or misunderstanding but still a sweet read.
PS. even the pets are funny. James' dog Prince loved Kate because she's one of a few who knew just the right spot to scratch on his head. Horace the unwanted cat at Lady Cow's knew 'which side the bread is buttered on' and made haste to befriend the Crosby's cat Moggerty...after Kate brought him home.
Re-read Dec 2019: love the book, so many small things like James thinking of Kate 'every inch of the drive' home to London etc. 5*!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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