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All Else Confusion
Annis's life was full and happy- certainly not lacking in love. Above all, she loved Jake Royle- even more than her family. So when he proposed out of necessity, she accepted without hesitation. But would she be able to accept his lack of feeling for her?
224 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1982
60 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Betty Neels
582 books419 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 35 reviews
September 12, 2024
I really liked the way this slightly different Neels book began. Annis is the oldest of a big, happy family. She's not a nurse - she has no career at all, just helps her father, the Rector. Jake, who is in the area visiting friends, is a big-shot business man, not a doctor. As usual the hero manages to get his life entangled with hers. But it kind of disintegrates when they get married.
I don't expect Jane Austen when I read these stories, but I really didn't feel that either of these people's actions made sense. He's in love with her but refuses to admit it and she realizes she loves him so it makes her cry all the time. Or something. One minute he's telling her she can travel with him, then he says no. But if he loved her all along why did his behavior change? Let's just say I really liked the first half and felt let down by the second. So it averages 3 stars. I think. Maybe 2.5.
I don't expect Jane Austen when I read these stories, but I really didn't feel that either of these people's actions made sense. He's in love with her but refuses to admit it and she realizes she loves him so it makes her cry all the time. Or something. One minute he's telling her she can travel with him, then he says no. But if he loved her all along why did his behavior change? Let's just say I really liked the first half and felt let down by the second. So it averages 3 stars. I think. Maybe 2.5.
September 12, 2024
Not a nurse! Not a doctor! No extra boyfriends or girlfriends! She has a happy loving family as does he!
Totally different book except for the amount of delicious teas and dinners!
Totally different book except for the amount of delicious teas and dinners!
August 31, 2017
I always think of this one as the “Bath book,” which reminds me of Jane Austen. And indeed, there is much in the setting that reminds me of Austen, at least in the early part of the book. It sort of goes off the rails for me in the middle and never really recovers.
Annis Fothergill is a wonderful heroine: intelligent, capable, outspoken. Annis is from a country village, her father is the rector, Annis is one of 6 siblings, she is best friends with “the boy next door”. Then we have a dinner party with lively conversation at the Averys with the Colonel, the Rector and the local Doctor – all very Austen-type characters.
Our hero, Jake Royce, is a wealthy (single) businessman who is a friend of the Avery family. He is the godson of Colonel Avery’s sister, Mrs. Duvant. Annis instinctively dislikes him because he seems rude and arrogant. And yet, he is very kind to animals and Annis’s younger siblings, so she is conflicted.
Then we have the trip to Bath with Mrs. Duvant and concerts at the Assembly Room! Jake spends a few days with them, which Annis enjoys and changes her feelings about him. Then Jake goes back to London. And then, of course, TGB puts her own stamp on it with Mrs. Duvant having cancer and not telling anyone about it. And when Mrs. Duvant collapses, she asks Annis to notify Jake (apparently she has no children), and then Jake and Annis are again thrown together for several days, after which Jake proposes a marriage of convenience. Annis has, by this time, realized that she loves Jake, so she accepts.
The married part consists of lots of travel, sometimes Jake and Annis together and sometimes Jake alone. Annis spends a week at her parents’ home and finally decides she can’t continue as is. She doesn’t know where Jake is, so she calls his secretary, Miss Butts, who informs her that Jake is in Naples. Annis asks her to get her a ticket to Naples.
So, Annis arrives in Naples and surprises Jake. Now, he had previously overheard a “conversation” between Annis and someone that made him think Annis was going to ask for a divorce. So, he is reluctant to let Annis have her say; he makes her go with him to Pompeii where he finally lets her talk. She hems and haws, but finally tells Jake that she is in love with him. “Well, I’ve fallen in love with you, Jake, and I can’t go on living with you, just pretending to be a good comrade. I’ve thought about it a lot and I don’t think it would work.”
“I’m damned sure it wouldn’t work.” Jake swung her round and put the other arm round her too. And then he proceeds to tell her that he fell in LAFS and had to play it cool.
There are bits of this book that I really enjoyed. The scene with the "old married couple" bit was lovely; Jake says, "it must be very pleasant to share your fireside and your declining years with someone you’ve loved and still love.” Annis: “That sounds too good to be true.” “No, it’s not. I for one intend to make it true.” Then he turns around and spoils that with “I think I’ve become a little cynical about that (true love), Annis, I’m not even sure that I believe in it any more.”
I actually thought Jake and Annis had quite a bit of chemistry between them, both early on and throughout. Jake even talks about having kids. So, my main problem with Jake is that he isn't consistent.
Not my favorite Betty, but not the worst, either - lower part of the bottom third.
Annis Fothergill is a wonderful heroine: intelligent, capable, outspoken. Annis is from a country village, her father is the rector, Annis is one of 6 siblings, she is best friends with “the boy next door”. Then we have a dinner party with lively conversation at the Averys with the Colonel, the Rector and the local Doctor – all very Austen-type characters.
Our hero, Jake Royce, is a wealthy (single) businessman who is a friend of the Avery family. He is the godson of Colonel Avery’s sister, Mrs. Duvant. Annis instinctively dislikes him because he seems rude and arrogant. And yet, he is very kind to animals and Annis’s younger siblings, so she is conflicted.
Then we have the trip to Bath with Mrs. Duvant and concerts at the Assembly Room! Jake spends a few days with them, which Annis enjoys and changes her feelings about him. Then Jake goes back to London. And then, of course, TGB puts her own stamp on it with Mrs. Duvant having cancer and not telling anyone about it. And when Mrs. Duvant collapses, she asks Annis to notify Jake (apparently she has no children), and then Jake and Annis are again thrown together for several days, after which Jake proposes a marriage of convenience. Annis has, by this time, realized that she loves Jake, so she accepts.
The married part consists of lots of travel, sometimes Jake and Annis together and sometimes Jake alone. Annis spends a week at her parents’ home and finally decides she can’t continue as is. She doesn’t know where Jake is, so she calls his secretary, Miss Butts, who informs her that Jake is in Naples. Annis asks her to get her a ticket to Naples.
So, Annis arrives in Naples and surprises Jake. Now, he had previously overheard a “conversation” between Annis and someone that made him think Annis was going to ask for a divorce. So, he is reluctant to let Annis have her say; he makes her go with him to Pompeii where he finally lets her talk. She hems and haws, but finally tells Jake that she is in love with him. “Well, I’ve fallen in love with you, Jake, and I can’t go on living with you, just pretending to be a good comrade. I’ve thought about it a lot and I don’t think it would work.”
“I’m damned sure it wouldn’t work.” Jake swung her round and put the other arm round her too. And then he proceeds to tell her that he fell in LAFS and had to play it cool.
There are bits of this book that I really enjoyed. The scene with the "old married couple" bit was lovely; Jake says, "it must be very pleasant to share your fireside and your declining years with someone you’ve loved and still love.” Annis: “That sounds too good to be true.” “No, it’s not. I for one intend to make it true.” Then he turns around and spoils that with “I think I’ve become a little cynical about that (true love), Annis, I’m not even sure that I believe in it any more.”
I actually thought Jake and Annis had quite a bit of chemistry between them, both early on and throughout. Jake even talks about having kids. So, my main problem with Jake is that he isn't consistent.
Not my favorite Betty, but not the worst, either - lower part of the bottom third.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2014
This is one that will get the feminists up in arms when hero Jake Royle quotes:
Man with the head and woman with the heart:
Man to command and woman to obey;
All else confusion
Jake seems to think he's a classic romance alpha male and he does his best with it. He is a business man and very wealthy but even more clueless than a Dutch doctor when it comes to handling the woman in his life. His early disappointment put him against love and fortunately the Other Women are fleeting and easily dismissed.
He marries Annis, who is young, pretty and naive and in love with him (not that she would ever tell him because...humiliation). He's decided she would make a good wife to him but in his alpha density does not recognise the beginnings of lurv. Instead he showers her with money and clothes and stuff...lots of stuff...
She gets to travel to Portugal with him but suddenly all the travelling dries up and he's sending her home to her family while he scoots off on his business trips.
Of course it all ends up happily in Italy of all places.
This is a little different to her usual pattern. It reads like someone at Mills & Boon said they wanted a business tycoon and some romantic destinations away from Holland instead of the standard doctor nurse fare. I quite enjoyed it because I love marriage of convenience stories.
Man with the head and woman with the heart:
Man to command and woman to obey;
All else confusion
Jake seems to think he's a classic romance alpha male and he does his best with it. He is a business man and very wealthy but even more clueless than a Dutch doctor when it comes to handling the woman in his life. His early disappointment put him against love and fortunately the Other Women are fleeting and easily dismissed.
He marries Annis, who is young, pretty and naive and in love with him (not that she would ever tell him because...humiliation). He's decided she would make a good wife to him but in his alpha density does not recognise the beginnings of lurv. Instead he showers her with money and clothes and stuff...lots of stuff...
She gets to travel to Portugal with him but suddenly all the travelling dries up and he's sending her home to her family while he scoots off on his business trips.
Of course it all ends up happily in Italy of all places.
This is a little different to her usual pattern. It reads like someone at Mills & Boon said they wanted a business tycoon and some romantic destinations away from Holland instead of the standard doctor nurse fare. I quite enjoyed it because I love marriage of convenience stories.
July 12, 2020
Not my fave, BN; the hero, Jake, is just a little too much of a jerk. So funny that I am completely willing to give Neels a pass on her extremely chauvinistic heroes, her idealized 50s housewifey heroines, and the emotional cruelty that the heroes inflict on the heroines (although it can be argued that the heroines are just as bad if not as experienced in the "blow hot and cold" stakes). Nonetheless, I find BN a pleasure to read (I just pretend her heroes/heroines live in some vaguely Victorian alternate reality in which rich wives don't work and spend their days arranging flowers and shopping and their RDD/RBD/rich-and-rarely-not-doctor husbands are overbearing if protective and instead of carriages have fabulous cars (Rollses, Beemers, Mercs, Bentleys, occasional Lambos). This was a re-read for me and I remember really liking it, but my re-read left me liking the hero less than I remembered. Still, always fun to visit Bettyland and a real pleasure to have discovered The Uncrushable Jersey Dress and visit with the Betties of that fun fansite.
August 30, 2024
Jake is quite awful. 😬 Annis and her family are the high points. I like the Bath chapter. Otherwise, Jake is near cruel to Annis at times and indifferent the rest of the time. He professes to have fallen in love with her right away and I believed that at the beginning of the story but not after they marry. He goes about things horribly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2016
One of the first Harlequin authors I remember reading. I was completely enthralled by the exotic locales in her books when I was 14. Now reading these books are more of a way of remembering the aunt who got me started on them. I'll probably always love them due to the nostalgia factor. her books will always be some of my favorites to re-read.
April 26, 2016
I enjoyed this book but not the way Jake was going on with Annis, I found him to be hot one minute and then cold the next and Annis was not a doormat which I was happy with but to be truthful I preferred her friend and I would have liked to have seen her marry him or to see her husband be jealous of their friendship to rock the boat lol but he isn't in the book for that long.
January 25, 2026
Read: 25Jan26,
4.1 stars. If i could have re-written the ending of this book then I would have been perfectly happy with it but, alas, Betty went a bit wrong at the vey end for my tastes.
This is the one where tall beautiful redheaded Annis, 22, is the happy go lucky daughter of a country rector, eldest of six children, happily marching along with her band of younger siblings all gathering firewood when two riders come along, one her lifelong friend and the other his visitor, Jake (36?) a successful and hard-headed businessman, whose arrogance Annis immediately takes a dislike to.
The start had me a bit worried that Annis would turn out to be another countrified simpleton excruciatingly naive heroine, which i had in the last betty book I read (An Ordinary Girl), and which i hated and did not want to read again. Especially because Annis was only 22, but luckily Annis turned out to be fairly mature for her years and quite likable really, despite having an unwordly experience of life so far and never having held down a job.
Jake befriends her family, but thoroughly annoys annis each time she sees him. When his visit to her friend is over, he departs, and him being a global businessman, she thinks she will never see him again and is relieved. But when she takes a job in Bath with an old lady acquaintance to be a companion for 6 weeks, she is shocked to meet Jake again when he comes to stay - the old lady is his godmother!
He takes her out on a lovely date and she finds herself enjoying herself very much having a taste of the rich life and, washed away on a cloud of tipsy feelings, when he kisses her at the end of the night, she kisses him back with feeling. A memory which mortifies her, and even more so when she wakes the next morning to find he has departed without a word. It clearly all meant nothing at all to a man of the world like him. He was just amusing himself. he doesn't write or call her either.
When the old lady suddenly becomes v ill (turns out she had kept her cancer and impending death a secret), Annis must phone Jake who comes immediately. They deal with the death and aftermath together, becoming friends of a sort in a distant, tension-filled kind of way, by which point she realises she has fallen in love with him and is dreading when she must return home and part from him.
Only, before she leaves Bath, he takes her on a drive to see his v nice parents and old granny, and then asks her to marry him. A MOC. saying he was once disappointed in love and has no desire to fall in love with her. he wants a hostess and companion etc. Other betty heroes have done this, but for some reason, it felt particularly unfeeling and cold coming from the hard-headed, cynical Jake.
I guess Jake lacks the redeeming touch of warmth we get from Betty's doctor heroes who are caring and dedicated doctors (and pet rescuers) even if they are iceholes or emotionally repressed in other walks of life. With Jake, there is no avenue for us to see his warmth at all. He cares only for business. He has no rescue pets. It's hard really to see why annis falls for him, other than the physical chemistry and the fact that an icehole was nice to her and treated her well for a brief period of time when dealing with the funeral stuff. Every girlloves to hope she might be special to an arrogant icehole, i guess. I wonder if Jake's coldness is why the book has lower ratings because readers failed to warm up to him?
SPOILERS AHEAD
However, i like an icehole and liked Jake even if it left me feeling a bit on edge all through the book, hoping he would redeem himself and show his vulnerability in the end. Which SADLY he never did do. Sob.
Anyway, Annis realises that she has to marry Jake as she cant be without the man she loves, and she hopes to make him love her too despite his warning. They go on a trip away immediately, part pleasure, part business, during which he blows warm and cold. She feels abandoned during his distant cold periods, left to her own devices to go shopping mainly. And when they return to England, it is the same thing all over again, with him being busy with work quite a lot and him withdrawing from her, and her being left to find her own way to building a new life. Eventually, he sends her home to her parents for week, even though she doesnt want to go, claiming that he is too busy with work.
Despite all this, there was an undercurrent of delicious tension in the story. When he was with her, he enjoyed taking her out to see things, enjoyed buying her things, even if his cold distance afterwards took away all of her joy. Seeing Annis dealing with it all in a sensible and mostly resilient way was good.
However, Betty failed to show us enough of Jakes emotions. For example, when he arrived to save Annis and her little sister from some violent tinkers, he never showed that he had been scared for Annis afterwards. He kept a cool head while dealing with the men, but shouldnt he have shown how afraid he was to see her in danger afterwards to give us the satisfaction? But it is not even hinted at, not even in the end. A big failure from betty tbh. These little touches are what bring her stories to life, but she didint pull it off this time. Perhaps she was afraid to soften Jake?
The story had the usual elements that should have charmed us - like when Jake rescues a mistreated donkey and dogs from horrid tinkers. And also when his friend all think Annis is charming and gorgeous and he tells her she was a success with his friends. And yet even those things are coldly done and show no hint of emotion. The pet rescue should have shown him soft side, but was so clinically done. The bit about her impressing his friends should have shown his inner struggle with accepting Annis into his heart despite his determination not to love her, or shown his jealousy that she is so warm and sweet to his friends but not to him -- but it did neither. Again, it all seems to be casually said with no deeper meaning. Alas!
ENDING SPOILERS
This one didn't have the type of ending i like where Betty's hurt heroines flee and the hero must come after them and grovel (if you can ever call it that with Betty) a bit. Here, Annis was with her parents and Jake, after the tinkers incident, left her there for another week. She had been confiding to her donkey in the lonely barn that her marriage wasnt working and she must tell jake, and he turned up and overheard and said "But not yet" and he coolly tells he he had been going to take her home with him but has changed him mind and she must stay with her parents another week. He leaves her thre.
but she is now at the end of her tether and cant bear to love him and for it not to be returned anymore. she decides she must tell him she loves him and then accept the pain of the inevitable break up. She follows him to italy and waits for him in his hotel for him to come back from his meeting. he eventually comes back and, when she insists on talking, he says "not here." He goes up for a shower and when he returns he looks 'satisfied' - whatever that means. (I thought he should be afraid she was going to tell him she wanted to break up, and had read his satisfaction as possibly him having decided he will save their marriage even if she is here to say she doesnt love him, but it didnt turn out that way. Turns out his satisfaction was just smugness.) So anyway, he drives her to see pompei and every time she tries to talk to him, he leads her onwards to show her another tourist site. Eventually she confesses that she loves him and says that he never wanted that and that they must part. He seems unsurprised. he says why didnt you tell me this earlier? He says he loved her from the start. it was all so matter of fact. He did not betray one hint of emotion. I have read many betty books where we have to read between the lines to see what the hero is feeling, but here there was nothing to read between the lines. The ending was utterly disappointing.
RE-WRITING THAT ENDING!
The ending failed to explain why Jake sent Annis away. I would have liked to see a bit of humility and fear of loss from him, but Betty let us down. I had thought he sent her away to her parents home because he was afraid their marriage wasnt working out and he wanted to give her time to miss him in the hopes she would choose to give their marriage a shot. I thought he was afraid of losing her. And when he was dragging her all around Pompeii, i thought it was because he couldnt bear for the moment to arrive when he thought that she would say she wanted to end their marriage. that he wanted just those last few moments with her, watching her see a marvellous place. I thought maybe he was preparing to tell her that he wasn't willing to let her go, to ask her to give their marriage another shot,
Instead what we got was perfectly limp. She confessed her love. He was fine with that and said why didn't you tell me earlier. He told her he loved her too. A kiss. -- LIMP!! where was his grovel for being so highhanded and pushing her away? It would have been all the sweeter if the almighty Jake had been brought to his knees for love. So anyway, I would totally rewrite this awful ending and make Jake be ecstatic and utterly relieved when he realises that Annis wanted to tell him that she loved him and not that she wanted to break up. Ugh, i am still so utterly annoyed by that ending. It was a let down and did not reward us for our patience by giving us the emotional satisfaction that we deserved. I'm mad about it.
CONCLUSION
I love an icehole, which Jake was. I love the totally alpha dominant energy. This is why this book got a bit above 4 stars. There was a good amount of pining/angsty type of tension in it, which I love. But i also love to see the arrogant hero brought down to his knees by falling in love. And we didnt get that. The ending in particular was terrible and for that reason, I don't much feel like I would want to re-read this one, which is a pity because it was so darn promising. I MUST REWRITE THE ENDING IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO read it again, and then it will be a joy.
4.1 stars. If i could have re-written the ending of this book then I would have been perfectly happy with it but, alas, Betty went a bit wrong at the vey end for my tastes.
This is the one where tall beautiful redheaded Annis, 22, is the happy go lucky daughter of a country rector, eldest of six children, happily marching along with her band of younger siblings all gathering firewood when two riders come along, one her lifelong friend and the other his visitor, Jake (36?) a successful and hard-headed businessman, whose arrogance Annis immediately takes a dislike to.
The start had me a bit worried that Annis would turn out to be another countrified simpleton excruciatingly naive heroine, which i had in the last betty book I read (An Ordinary Girl), and which i hated and did not want to read again. Especially because Annis was only 22, but luckily Annis turned out to be fairly mature for her years and quite likable really, despite having an unwordly experience of life so far and never having held down a job.
Jake befriends her family, but thoroughly annoys annis each time she sees him. When his visit to her friend is over, he departs, and him being a global businessman, she thinks she will never see him again and is relieved. But when she takes a job in Bath with an old lady acquaintance to be a companion for 6 weeks, she is shocked to meet Jake again when he comes to stay - the old lady is his godmother!
He takes her out on a lovely date and she finds herself enjoying herself very much having a taste of the rich life and, washed away on a cloud of tipsy feelings, when he kisses her at the end of the night, she kisses him back with feeling. A memory which mortifies her, and even more so when she wakes the next morning to find he has departed without a word. It clearly all meant nothing at all to a man of the world like him. He was just amusing himself. he doesn't write or call her either.
When the old lady suddenly becomes v ill (turns out she had kept her cancer and impending death a secret), Annis must phone Jake who comes immediately. They deal with the death and aftermath together, becoming friends of a sort in a distant, tension-filled kind of way, by which point she realises she has fallen in love with him and is dreading when she must return home and part from him.
Only, before she leaves Bath, he takes her on a drive to see his v nice parents and old granny, and then asks her to marry him. A MOC. saying he was once disappointed in love and has no desire to fall in love with her. he wants a hostess and companion etc. Other betty heroes have done this, but for some reason, it felt particularly unfeeling and cold coming from the hard-headed, cynical Jake.
I guess Jake lacks the redeeming touch of warmth we get from Betty's doctor heroes who are caring and dedicated doctors (and pet rescuers) even if they are iceholes or emotionally repressed in other walks of life. With Jake, there is no avenue for us to see his warmth at all. He cares only for business. He has no rescue pets. It's hard really to see why annis falls for him, other than the physical chemistry and the fact that an icehole was nice to her and treated her well for a brief period of time when dealing with the funeral stuff. Every girlloves to hope she might be special to an arrogant icehole, i guess. I wonder if Jake's coldness is why the book has lower ratings because readers failed to warm up to him?
SPOILERS AHEAD
However, i like an icehole and liked Jake even if it left me feeling a bit on edge all through the book, hoping he would redeem himself and show his vulnerability in the end. Which SADLY he never did do. Sob.
Anyway, Annis realises that she has to marry Jake as she cant be without the man she loves, and she hopes to make him love her too despite his warning. They go on a trip away immediately, part pleasure, part business, during which he blows warm and cold. She feels abandoned during his distant cold periods, left to her own devices to go shopping mainly. And when they return to England, it is the same thing all over again, with him being busy with work quite a lot and him withdrawing from her, and her being left to find her own way to building a new life. Eventually, he sends her home to her parents for week, even though she doesnt want to go, claiming that he is too busy with work.
Despite all this, there was an undercurrent of delicious tension in the story. When he was with her, he enjoyed taking her out to see things, enjoyed buying her things, even if his cold distance afterwards took away all of her joy. Seeing Annis dealing with it all in a sensible and mostly resilient way was good.
However, Betty failed to show us enough of Jakes emotions. For example, when he arrived to save Annis and her little sister from some violent tinkers, he never showed that he had been scared for Annis afterwards. He kept a cool head while dealing with the men, but shouldnt he have shown how afraid he was to see her in danger afterwards to give us the satisfaction? But it is not even hinted at, not even in the end. A big failure from betty tbh. These little touches are what bring her stories to life, but she didint pull it off this time. Perhaps she was afraid to soften Jake?
The story had the usual elements that should have charmed us - like when Jake rescues a mistreated donkey and dogs from horrid tinkers. And also when his friend all think Annis is charming and gorgeous and he tells her she was a success with his friends. And yet even those things are coldly done and show no hint of emotion. The pet rescue should have shown him soft side, but was so clinically done. The bit about her impressing his friends should have shown his inner struggle with accepting Annis into his heart despite his determination not to love her, or shown his jealousy that she is so warm and sweet to his friends but not to him -- but it did neither. Again, it all seems to be casually said with no deeper meaning. Alas!
ENDING SPOILERS
This one didn't have the type of ending i like where Betty's hurt heroines flee and the hero must come after them and grovel (if you can ever call it that with Betty) a bit. Here, Annis was with her parents and Jake, after the tinkers incident, left her there for another week. She had been confiding to her donkey in the lonely barn that her marriage wasnt working and she must tell jake, and he turned up and overheard and said "But not yet" and he coolly tells he he had been going to take her home with him but has changed him mind and she must stay with her parents another week. He leaves her thre.
but she is now at the end of her tether and cant bear to love him and for it not to be returned anymore. she decides she must tell him she loves him and then accept the pain of the inevitable break up. She follows him to italy and waits for him in his hotel for him to come back from his meeting. he eventually comes back and, when she insists on talking, he says "not here." He goes up for a shower and when he returns he looks 'satisfied' - whatever that means. (I thought he should be afraid she was going to tell him she wanted to break up, and had read his satisfaction as possibly him having decided he will save their marriage even if she is here to say she doesnt love him, but it didnt turn out that way. Turns out his satisfaction was just smugness.) So anyway, he drives her to see pompei and every time she tries to talk to him, he leads her onwards to show her another tourist site. Eventually she confesses that she loves him and says that he never wanted that and that they must part. He seems unsurprised. he says why didnt you tell me this earlier? He says he loved her from the start. it was all so matter of fact. He did not betray one hint of emotion. I have read many betty books where we have to read between the lines to see what the hero is feeling, but here there was nothing to read between the lines. The ending was utterly disappointing.
RE-WRITING THAT ENDING!
The ending failed to explain why Jake sent Annis away. I would have liked to see a bit of humility and fear of loss from him, but Betty let us down. I had thought he sent her away to her parents home because he was afraid their marriage wasnt working out and he wanted to give her time to miss him in the hopes she would choose to give their marriage a shot. I thought he was afraid of losing her. And when he was dragging her all around Pompeii, i thought it was because he couldnt bear for the moment to arrive when he thought that she would say she wanted to end their marriage. that he wanted just those last few moments with her, watching her see a marvellous place. I thought maybe he was preparing to tell her that he wasn't willing to let her go, to ask her to give their marriage another shot,
Instead what we got was perfectly limp. She confessed her love. He was fine with that and said why didn't you tell me earlier. He told her he loved her too. A kiss. -- LIMP!! where was his grovel for being so highhanded and pushing her away? It would have been all the sweeter if the almighty Jake had been brought to his knees for love. So anyway, I would totally rewrite this awful ending and make Jake be ecstatic and utterly relieved when he realises that Annis wanted to tell him that she loved him and not that she wanted to break up. Ugh, i am still so utterly annoyed by that ending. It was a let down and did not reward us for our patience by giving us the emotional satisfaction that we deserved. I'm mad about it.
CONCLUSION
I love an icehole, which Jake was. I love the totally alpha dominant energy. This is why this book got a bit above 4 stars. There was a good amount of pining/angsty type of tension in it, which I love. But i also love to see the arrogant hero brought down to his knees by falling in love. And we didnt get that. The ending in particular was terrible and for that reason, I don't much feel like I would want to re-read this one, which is a pity because it was so darn promising. I MUST REWRITE THE ENDING IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO read it again, and then it will be a joy.
March 5, 2017
2.5 stars for this a-typical offering from The Great Betty.
Big difference number one--Jake is a business man, not a doctor. Say what?? He's 35, rich as a typical Harlequin Millionaire. He gloms his eyes on sweet, young, very pretty Annis, age 22, and somehow ends up in a MOC with her.
There are many things I don't understand, such as how Annis fell in love with such a cold-hearted rat. (Oh, poor boy was disappointed in love many years ago--as if that excuses his behavior/attitude. Alas, TGB fails to supply details, so the excuse sounds pathetic).
The rotter couldn't even slip the engagement ring on her finger, for Pete's sake! That's not putting on a show, that's cold and callous! I guess y'all can tell I didn't like Jake.
However, I loved Annis. She was much more grown-up than Jake, for all that she was years younger in age. The way she called him on his use of 'darling' was stellar. She knows he doesn't mean it in the 'cherished beloved' sense, so she doesn't want him calling her by the term.
This is one where his declaration at the end falls flat. Betty tries to make the HEA convincing--I didn't buy it.
The book wasn't a total loss. There were many nice bits of writing. I also liked Jake's godmother, Mrs. Duvant. (Even though she's another one of Betty's older women who are dying but nobody's told her characters. At least she's having a good time!)
This one isn't in my re-read rotation.
Big difference number one--Jake is a business man, not a doctor. Say what?? He's 35, rich as a typical Harlequin Millionaire. He gloms his eyes on sweet, young, very pretty Annis, age 22, and somehow ends up in a MOC with her.
There are many things I don't understand, such as how Annis fell in love with such a cold-hearted rat. (Oh, poor boy was disappointed in love many years ago--as if that excuses his behavior/attitude. Alas, TGB fails to supply details, so the excuse sounds pathetic).
The rotter couldn't even slip the engagement ring on her finger, for Pete's sake! That's not putting on a show, that's cold and callous! I guess y'all can tell I didn't like Jake.
However, I loved Annis. She was much more grown-up than Jake, for all that she was years younger in age. The way she called him on his use of 'darling' was stellar. She knows he doesn't mean it in the 'cherished beloved' sense, so she doesn't want him calling her by the term.
This is one where his declaration at the end falls flat. Betty tries to make the HEA convincing--I didn't buy it.
The book wasn't a total loss. There were many nice bits of writing. I also liked Jake's godmother, Mrs. Duvant. (Even though she's another one of Betty's older women who are dying but nobody's told her characters. At least she's having a good time!)
This one isn't in my re-read rotation.
April 12, 2014
Jack Royle believes he has found a woman whom he can make his wife, and have her tucked away, waiting for his return from work. When he sees fit. But Annis is a little more than just the little woman, with the fiery red hair to match the spark of temper that lights her up.
An enjoyable variation to the stand tales by Betty Neels.
An enjoyable variation to the stand tales by Betty Neels.
April 21, 2010
Betty Neals stories are easy and fun to read. This one was perfect for between tests. It didn't take much brain power to enjoy and satisfied my need to read something other than a text book.
October 2, 2013
Another typical betty book. I enjoyed it as much as the others.
September 26, 2024
This one was one of those rare BN books in which no one was remotely related to the medical profession, the heroine was rather lovely and to top it off had a wonderful family. The hero is a larger than life , rich, suave, and very smart businessman, she’s a parson’s daughter who thinks she’s being vetted by the hero’s family for a governess position and is startled to instead be the recipient of the hero’s very impersonal suggestion that his granny wants great grandchildren and they should marry because she’d make a very suitable wife and it was time he married anyway; her mother is very anxious to marry her brood off and she thinks the hero’s a splendid match, the heroine broods a few days over this horrible proposal and eventually accepts it as she’s in love with him and believes her love would be enough. He also suggests that they wait six months in order to get to know each other better before consummating their marriage which puts her and I’m certain BN’s mind at rest. The marriage happens at one half of the book, the other agonising half is the length it takes for us to witness the heroine being neglected and torutured by the hero’s indifferent, dismissive, patronising manner while at intervals he keeps sending her back to her family home at every opportunity. She finally can’t take it any more and impetuously has his secretary book a ticket for her to Naples where he’s gone on a work trip, intending to confess all and fully expecting a horrific rejection of her and heir marriage. His narcissistic self had done such damage to her by this point that she couldn’t think clearly, otherwise she’d perhaps realise she was ripe fruit for such character to pick and keep under his selfish thumb for the rest of their days together. Magnificent heroine, wonderful family and pleasant atmosphere but one of the most unpleasant heroes ever. And from the depiction of his character, I’d bet a cheat as well.
September 2, 2022
Review from September 2022 re-read:
2.25 Stars
This is one of the more atypical Betty Neels novels in the cannon. For one thing, there are no doctors or nurses- Jake it seems is some sort of venture capitalist corporate type, and Annis is a parson’s daughter who stays home and helps with her family when they meet in her small village. There are sparks and for no real pressing reason, they decide to enter into a loveless marriage of convenience… well Annis agrees because she’s already aware she’s in love with Jake despite him being kind of aloof and despite her being uncertain about him. Jake’s reasons for marrying Annis seem to centre around the fact that she’s pretty and he tells her this several times, which is a little disheartening, but if you’re a Betty connoisseur you will recognize deep down in his bland and somewhat rude manner, he’s clearly hiding feelings for Annis (yes I know, problematic but this is vintage Betty and we love her like that). The main reason I’m scoring this low apart from the fact that I found Jake irredeemably unlikable, is the sexist Tennyson quote that lends this book it’s title and how Jake introduced it:
“Women don’t use their heads.’ He gave a little laugh. “‘Man with the head and woman with the heart: Man to command and woman to obey; All else confusion”. Tennyson—sounds a bit old-fashioned, but he had the right idea.’”
Even for Betty, I just could literally not!
CW: Death of a prominent character early on.
2.25 Stars
This is one of the more atypical Betty Neels novels in the cannon. For one thing, there are no doctors or nurses- Jake it seems is some sort of venture capitalist corporate type, and Annis is a parson’s daughter who stays home and helps with her family when they meet in her small village. There are sparks and for no real pressing reason, they decide to enter into a loveless marriage of convenience… well Annis agrees because she’s already aware she’s in love with Jake despite him being kind of aloof and despite her being uncertain about him. Jake’s reasons for marrying Annis seem to centre around the fact that she’s pretty and he tells her this several times, which is a little disheartening, but if you’re a Betty connoisseur you will recognize deep down in his bland and somewhat rude manner, he’s clearly hiding feelings for Annis (yes I know, problematic but this is vintage Betty and we love her like that). The main reason I’m scoring this low apart from the fact that I found Jake irredeemably unlikable, is the sexist Tennyson quote that lends this book it’s title and how Jake introduced it:
“Women don’t use their heads.’ He gave a little laugh. “‘Man with the head and woman with the heart: Man to command and woman to obey; All else confusion”. Tennyson—sounds a bit old-fashioned, but he had the right idea.’”
Even for Betty, I just could literally not!
CW: Death of a prominent character early on.
November 10, 2022
I really dislike this one. I dislike Jake and his constant use of "darling" even after Annis told him to knock it off. Who does he think he is?! A Broadway director?!
I also dislike Annis' parents, who remind me a bit of Mr. & Mrs Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, the father has his head in the clouds and the mother comes across as greedy. Poor Annis! Oh you're smart and have A levels, too bad for you, funding your brothers' education is more important. Oh you're being paid to keep an old lady company, don't forget mommy's list of stuff to buy. Oh a rich stranger wants to marry you, what are you waiting for girl get your butt down the aisle and don't forget daddy needs a new car! Why did they have a gazillion kids if they can't provide for them.
I'm about half way done and I'm hoping that Annis doesn't turn into a wet rag.
Nope! The second half was worse. If this story had been written by anyone else, I would have rated it minus 5 stars and DNF'ed it! IMO Betty's non doctor/nurse stories are just awful.
I also dislike Annis' parents, who remind me a bit of Mr. & Mrs Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, the father has his head in the clouds and the mother comes across as greedy. Poor Annis! Oh you're smart and have A levels, too bad for you, funding your brothers' education is more important. Oh you're being paid to keep an old lady company, don't forget mommy's list of stuff to buy. Oh a rich stranger wants to marry you, what are you waiting for girl get your butt down the aisle and don't forget daddy needs a new car! Why did they have a gazillion kids if they can't provide for them.
I'm about half way done and I'm hoping that Annis doesn't turn into a wet rag.
Nope! The second half was worse. If this story had been written by anyone else, I would have rated it minus 5 stars and DNF'ed it! IMO Betty's non doctor/nurse stories are just awful.
November 18, 2025
Not a doctor and nurse story !
This story is about Jake and Annis. Surprisingly, for Betty Neels, neither one of them is in the medical field. It's a really good story about Friend of a friend who gets introduced to the girl and falls in love with her. The girl, Annis, doesn't have a very good first impression of the guy, Jake, but comes around. They get married, each thinking the other doesn't love their but willing to give it a try and then there are shenanigans. It's a really great story. I really enjoyed it.
This story is about Jake and Annis. Surprisingly, for Betty Neels, neither one of them is in the medical field. It's a really good story about Friend of a friend who gets introduced to the girl and falls in love with her. The girl, Annis, doesn't have a very good first impression of the guy, Jake, but comes around. They get married, each thinking the other doesn't love their but willing to give it a try and then there are shenanigans. It's a really great story. I really enjoyed it.
April 10, 2024
Not a regular BN novel.Hero is a businessman, and heroine is nothing in the sense she just stays at home and helps her mom. Marriage is a marriage of convenience where the hero is super rich and heroine is poor. As usual, the hero takes her on the shopping spree, loads her with jewels, and they travel around Europe. Basically, she gets everything except his love and heroine is already under his spell. I found the story progress boring with nothing new, and it just went on dragging
.
.
June 6, 2024
a very boring read
I liked the start of this story but I got tired of hearing about their daily activities which were so repetitive. I also didn’t like the quote her husband cited from Emerson, very chauvinistic. Their relationship definitely lacked communication. Reading became very tedious!
I liked the start of this story but I got tired of hearing about their daily activities which were so repetitive. I also didn’t like the quote her husband cited from Emerson, very chauvinistic. Their relationship definitely lacked communication. Reading became very tedious!
April 5, 2021
Not a typical Betty Neels romance, this feels like a precursor to the highly questionable Harlequin Presents romances with an alpha/tycoon/uncommunicative hero who marries a beautiful, kind, naive heroine.
What does it say about me that I enjoyed this romance?
What does it say about me that I enjoyed this romance?
March 11, 2023
3.5 stars | I didn't like Jake very much but Annis was a dear. The blurb isn't great; this is a bit different than a typical Betty with a RDD and mousy heroine. Annis is of the red-headed and slightly plump variety while Jake is just a jerk. :)
June 26, 2018
Bleh. Didn’t like Jake at all. Not even the slightly charming bossy of Betty Neels normal books. And the tinker bit felt pretty racist...
August 8, 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
March 27, 2021
Not one of the best
I didn't really care for Jake, wrong name I guess. The beginning was good but after the wedding it went down hill for me.
I didn't really care for Jake, wrong name I guess. The beginning was good but after the wedding it went down hill for me.
October 27, 2023
A Neels book that wasn't about a professor! Nice read.
Want to read
October 2, 2025Recommend by Arpita (@bagfullofbooks) - April 2017
March 2, 2017
I know Ms. Neels is "old fashioned" in her outlooks on male-female roles. It is something that one can mostly get through for the prosaic-ness (word?) of the FICTITIOUS story. But this puppy took the cake.
I know her strong heroines always go suddenly silly when Mr. Right comes along...but this "hero", romantic lead....no way! He bordered on dolling out emotional abuse to the heroine and we never find out his "past reasons"!
As for "all else confusion"...to use Tennyson and actually MEAN it! Written in 1982, with a pub date like that this has to be a toungue in cheek "Austen-ish(word?)" story. I know chances are it wasn't a social commentary, but oye! (And all this coming from an "old-fashioned librarian"!)
Maybe the economic-political structure of 82 was such that Neels was saying "see what happens when you are a businessman in this age! Get off the cocaine, greed is not good, look how stupid you men are!" But, that is just the lit major in me trying to justify a really crappy "hero".
I know her strong heroines always go suddenly silly when Mr. Right comes along...but this "hero", romantic lead....no way! He bordered on dolling out emotional abuse to the heroine and we never find out his "past reasons"!
As for "all else confusion"...to use Tennyson and actually MEAN it! Written in 1982, with a pub date like that this has to be a toungue in cheek "Austen-ish(word?)" story. I know chances are it wasn't a social commentary, but oye! (And all this coming from an "old-fashioned librarian"!)
Maybe the economic-political structure of 82 was such that Neels was saying "see what happens when you are a businessman in this age! Get off the cocaine, greed is not good, look how stupid you men are!" But, that is just the lit major in me trying to justify a really crappy "hero".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2021
all else i got with this book was confusion
READING VLOG: https://youtu.be/whDpjxckNoM
READING VLOG: https://youtu.be/whDpjxckNoM
August 24, 2024
This is the first time I can honestly say I wasn't too sure about the HEA in a Betty Neels romance. Jake was attracted to Annis from the start, but Annis wasn't too impressed with Jake's rather arrogant smile. He claimed to not believe in love and when he suggested they marry, he'd proposed a platonic one at first to see how they got on. Annis was in love before the wedding, and not sure that Jake would welcome that love, she kept her feelings to herself. But just when she was feeling brave enough to tell him, he'd suggested that she take an extended break with her parents. In this romance, it's the heroine who chases after the hero to make the claim of forever love, happily Jake is in love too. Not one of Betty's best, but still an enjoyable romance
January 29, 2024
I did not quite like this story because the hero Jake came across as a jerk! Annis deserved better!
A departure from the usual doctor-hero and nurse/hospital staff-heroine, this hero Jake was a financial and business super star. He met our heroine Annis through his friend Matt, who grew up with Annis in their village. Matt's mother always cherished hope that Annis would marry Matt, but Matt and Mary, her sister were meant to be together. Initially I thought Jake would have cause for jealousy but that's not how the plot went.
Matt's paternal aunt was Jake's godmother. There was no mention of Jake's parents attending the funeral, which was really strange seeing how close Jake was to his godmother.
Jake was such a fun and nice guy in Bath...but the moment they married he changed. I mean he showered Annis with gifts...and extended the same kindness and generosity to her family. But when he spouted some chauvinistic quote from Tennyson, it was so ridiculous: "Man with the head and woman with the heart: Man to command and woman to obey; All else confusion." So this is where the title is from!
Annis had not liked Jake when she first met him because she sensed a strong arrogance in him. We found out later he was burnt by a woman before so he was a cynic. We were not told what happened in the past, so it's a big question mark if his cynicism and meanness / condescension was justified.
SPOILERS
At the end, after a few angsty weeks during which Annis was missing Jake and feeling unwanted and insecure, but he was avoiding her! Turned out he had fallen in love at first sight with Annis without realising it. So he played it really cool, suggesting the marriage of convenience to let Annis fall in love with him. Except his playing it cool made her think he's going to dump her. And HE thought she's regretting their marriage and was going to leave him...
What a mess. If only they had talked earlier!
During the book we were given the touristy settings of Portugal and Naples. It was a fun read. But the romance itself fell flat for me.
A departure from the usual doctor-hero and nurse/hospital staff-heroine, this hero Jake was a financial and business super star. He met our heroine Annis through his friend Matt, who grew up with Annis in their village. Matt's mother always cherished hope that Annis would marry Matt, but Matt and Mary, her sister were meant to be together. Initially I thought Jake would have cause for jealousy but that's not how the plot went.
Matt's paternal aunt was Jake's godmother. There was no mention of Jake's parents attending the funeral, which was really strange seeing how close Jake was to his godmother.
Jake was such a fun and nice guy in Bath...but the moment they married he changed. I mean he showered Annis with gifts...and extended the same kindness and generosity to her family. But when he spouted some chauvinistic quote from Tennyson, it was so ridiculous: "Man with the head and woman with the heart: Man to command and woman to obey; All else confusion." So this is where the title is from!
Annis had not liked Jake when she first met him because she sensed a strong arrogance in him. We found out later he was burnt by a woman before so he was a cynic. We were not told what happened in the past, so it's a big question mark if his cynicism and meanness / condescension was justified.
SPOILERS
At the end, after a few angsty weeks during which Annis was missing Jake and feeling unwanted and insecure, but he was avoiding her! Turned out he had fallen in love at first sight with Annis without realising it. So he played it really cool, suggesting the marriage of convenience to let Annis fall in love with him. Except his playing it cool made her think he's going to dump her. And HE thought she's regretting their marriage and was going to leave him...
What a mess. If only they had talked earlier!
During the book we were given the touristy settings of Portugal and Naples. It was a fun read. But the romance itself fell flat for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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