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Waiting for Deborah
Would he ever love her?A waif in need of his care. . .That was obviously how dynamic consultant Sir James Marlow saw Deborah. Otherwise why would he bother to keep rescuing her? Deborah knew it couldn't be because of her looks -- she had carrot-colored hair and no figure to speak of. That was the only explanation she could come up with -- unless he wanted something else from her altogether.
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First published January 1, 1967
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About the author
Betty Neels
576 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 40 reviews
March 21, 2024
Maybe five stars… I really enjoyed this one. Deborah is delightful and I love her advocacy for her elderly patient Mrs Vernon. I also love how she uses forthright humor with her second patient Uncle Oscar. They are both delightful side characters. Betty Neels’ heroines are so good and they genuinely are virtuous. It makes her books comforting to read.
April 6, 2021
Another of Betty's rescue-the-waif stories, my least favorite plot by her, and this one was just okay. It has the usual latter-day Betty elements: the vile relatives; the orphaned, homeless heroine doing her best but not quite making it independently; the rich doctor coming to her rescue again and again before finally acknowledging his insta-love and sweeping the equally insta-in-love heroine off to an HEA ending. There's way too much tell and not enough show.
The story suffers for the lack of a truly independent heroine, a staple of BN's earlier nurse-heroine stories, and it made for just a meh read. We pity the heroine, but it seems likely that so does the hero--and pity is a poor substitute for love. I just never buy the HEA in these--the balance between the hero's power and the heroine's is just too uneven. While I like BN's big, Dommy heroes, they only work for me when the heroine can give as good as she gets and I have the real sense that she could walk away and take care of herself if push came to shove (and they often do exactly that, at least temporarily). BN managed to pull that off even in some of her earlier stories-- Saturday's Child comes to mind--because the characters were so rich in comparison to those in WfD. Abigail in SC was far less helpless than Deborah (indeed, her resilience was remarkable), and there's a much greater sense that she is saving the hero--from loneliness and crusty bachelordom and a loveless life--even more than he is saving her. Deborah is flat-out being rescued. I never get the sense that James really needs her. For me, the imbalance is too much. A just okay read from TGB, with a heroine who's a little too unremarkable and helpless for my taste.
The story suffers for the lack of a truly independent heroine, a staple of BN's earlier nurse-heroine stories, and it made for just a meh read. We pity the heroine, but it seems likely that so does the hero--and pity is a poor substitute for love. I just never buy the HEA in these--the balance between the hero's power and the heroine's is just too uneven. While I like BN's big, Dommy heroes, they only work for me when the heroine can give as good as she gets and I have the real sense that she could walk away and take care of herself if push came to shove (and they often do exactly that, at least temporarily). BN managed to pull that off even in some of her earlier stories-- Saturday's Child comes to mind--because the characters were so rich in comparison to those in WfD. Abigail in SC was far less helpless than Deborah (indeed, her resilience was remarkable), and there's a much greater sense that she is saving the hero--from loneliness and crusty bachelordom and a loveless life--even more than he is saving her. Deborah is flat-out being rescued. I never get the sense that James really needs her. For me, the imbalance is too much. A just okay read from TGB, with a heroine who's a little too unremarkable and helpless for my taste.
December 28, 2017
I love Betty Neels' books and this particular novel will be like catnip for anyone who fancies a trip into Neels-land. Though written and ostensibly set in the 1990s, this book has something of a mid-20th century feel to it - down to a heroine in her early 20s who hasn't the faintest idea what one does with a computer. Indeed, even though Betty Neels wrote for Harlequin for several decades, her books all have something of a comfortably old-fashioned feel to them.
Those who have read Neels before will recognize some familiar features in this story. We have a plucky heroine, a very competent and successful older doctor (though not a Dutch one this time) who of course has loyal retainers who dote on him, and a sweet if rather abrupt romance. In this case, our plucky heroine Deborah has spent years nursing first her mother and then her stepfather. Upon the latter's death, she finds that she has not been provided for at all and her boorish stepsiblings are bent on turning her out of the house.
Fortunately, Deborah finds a position as an aide/companion to an elderly lady who has suffered a stroke. There she meets Sir James Marlow, a consulting doctor called in to see the lady who starts to become Deborah's friend and ally in the house when he sees just how much she cares for her charge. Without giving away the whole plot, I'll just say that Deborah suffers a series of employment upsets but being brave and plucky, she just keeps dusting herself off and soldiering on - qualities that endear her to James. She's not the brightest bulb out there, but she's kind, determined and good. Oh, and she has lovely eyes. Those get remarked on all throughout the text, though I did wish folks would quit harping on Deborah's otherwise being plain.
So, if you're in the mood for a sweet, old-fashioned romance, sink into this one. It's a nice comfort read.
Those who have read Neels before will recognize some familiar features in this story. We have a plucky heroine, a very competent and successful older doctor (though not a Dutch one this time) who of course has loyal retainers who dote on him, and a sweet if rather abrupt romance. In this case, our plucky heroine Deborah has spent years nursing first her mother and then her stepfather. Upon the latter's death, she finds that she has not been provided for at all and her boorish stepsiblings are bent on turning her out of the house.
Fortunately, Deborah finds a position as an aide/companion to an elderly lady who has suffered a stroke. There she meets Sir James Marlow, a consulting doctor called in to see the lady who starts to become Deborah's friend and ally in the house when he sees just how much she cares for her charge. Without giving away the whole plot, I'll just say that Deborah suffers a series of employment upsets but being brave and plucky, she just keeps dusting herself off and soldiering on - qualities that endear her to James. She's not the brightest bulb out there, but she's kind, determined and good. Oh, and she has lovely eyes. Those get remarked on all throughout the text, though I did wish folks would quit harping on Deborah's otherwise being plain.
So, if you're in the mood for a sweet, old-fashioned romance, sink into this one. It's a nice comfort read.
November 10, 2025
2025 Re-read. Another 5⭐️ for one of my favorite Bettys!
This story is highly improbable, but so sweet and full of kindness and humility and gentleness that it is probably the best of all the Betties. Our hero is a little pushy. Our heroine is a little ditzy. Yet I loved them both. And all the side characters - nannies, dogs, cats, butlers, sisters, etc. There was food and clothing and gardens and hospitals and elderly and meanies. The best of Betty indeed!
This story is highly improbable, but so sweet and full of kindness and humility and gentleness that it is probably the best of all the Betties. Our hero is a little pushy. Our heroine is a little ditzy. Yet I loved them both. And all the side characters - nannies, dogs, cats, butlers, sisters, etc. There was food and clothing and gardens and hospitals and elderly and meanies. The best of Betty indeed!
September 28, 2016
Deborah Everett is an Araminta with "carroty" hair but beautiful eyes, with a nasty step-brother and step-sister. Her step-father, whom she had cared for the past two years, has died and her step-brother, Walter, makes it clear she will be getting nothing. So she takes a job caring for an old lady recovering from a stroke. It is through this job that she meets her RBD, Sir James Marlow.
Deborah goes from that job to another much more congenial, working for a friend of James's sister. When Walter and Barbara show up unexpectedly and try to force Deborah to go with them - presumably to serve as an unpaid maid or suchlike - James tells them that he and Deborah are to be married. Of course, Deborah has long since had her DR and James can't get her out of his thoughts.
James takes her to his old Nanny, Mrs. Trott, or Trotty. Deborah finds herself a job, but has to be rescued once more when she catches the measles from the children she was looking after (I'm going to ignore the fact that no one in the 1990s got the measles). Looking at her, James reflects that "it was no good -Deborah had come into his life and wasn't going to go again."
That line is reminiscent of Darcy's "in vain have I struggled" line. This was the high point of the book for me and honestly, I wish TGB hadn't wasted such a great line on such a mediocre book. Perhaps I'll pretend that Tiele thinks this about Becky (my absolute fav Neels book, The Promise of Happiness!).
Nevertheless, James thinks that Deborah deserves to make her own way, if that's what she wants. Of course, she only wants to be his wife, but it's a necessity for them to be at cross-purposes because word count.
So Deborah takes a 3-month course in shorthand (again, no one learned shorthand in the 90s - my high school stopped offering it in the late 70s), typing and word processing. She failed the course. And if that weren't bad enough, her landlady has a massive stroke and dies; her brother inherits the house and Deborah is homeless again. Sir James to the rescue once more - he takes her back to his home and then back to Trotty. He goes back to London, then rearranges his schedule and goes back to Deborah, this time for the D&P while she is still in her dressing gown. When Trotty comes in, they are kissing and Trotty tells Deborah to go get dressed! I did love that!
Meh. Middle of the pile for me. I got impatient with James's dithering and Deborah was a bit of a ninny. Seriously, she couldn't pass a typing course?
Deborah goes from that job to another much more congenial, working for a friend of James's sister. When Walter and Barbara show up unexpectedly and try to force Deborah to go with them - presumably to serve as an unpaid maid or suchlike - James tells them that he and Deborah are to be married. Of course, Deborah has long since had her DR and James can't get her out of his thoughts.
James takes her to his old Nanny, Mrs. Trott, or Trotty. Deborah finds herself a job, but has to be rescued once more when she catches the measles from the children she was looking after (I'm going to ignore the fact that no one in the 1990s got the measles). Looking at her, James reflects that "it was no good -Deborah had come into his life and wasn't going to go again."
That line is reminiscent of Darcy's "in vain have I struggled" line. This was the high point of the book for me and honestly, I wish TGB hadn't wasted such a great line on such a mediocre book. Perhaps I'll pretend that Tiele thinks this about Becky (my absolute fav Neels book, The Promise of Happiness!).
Nevertheless, James thinks that Deborah deserves to make her own way, if that's what she wants. Of course, she only wants to be his wife, but it's a necessity for them to be at cross-purposes because word count.
So Deborah takes a 3-month course in shorthand (again, no one learned shorthand in the 90s - my high school stopped offering it in the late 70s), typing and word processing. She failed the course. And if that weren't bad enough, her landlady has a massive stroke and dies; her brother inherits the house and Deborah is homeless again. Sir James to the rescue once more - he takes her back to his home and then back to Trotty. He goes back to London, then rearranges his schedule and goes back to Deborah, this time for the D&P while she is still in her dressing gown. When Trotty comes in, they are kissing and Trotty tells Deborah to go get dressed! I did love that!
Meh. Middle of the pile for me. I got impatient with James's dithering and Deborah was a bit of a ninny. Seriously, she couldn't pass a typing course?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2016
Predictable but very sweet. Ms Neel's books are the cosy robes of literature; warm and comforting.
August 3, 2025
There's nothing like a sweet, simple love story from Betty Neels for a cozy, satisfying reading experience.
November 7, 2017
Esta es una de esas novelas de Betty que me hacen suspirar de lo bonita que es :3. Gracias a Caro Charmie que me la regaló y pude disfrutarla como se merece.
May 19, 2018
In her quest for independence, Deborah meets Dr. James Marlow at a job nursing an elderly woman recuperating from a stroke and is slowly taken in by his kindness and concern. As she moves from job to job, Dr. Marlow is always there, somehow in the background and picking her up when things go wrong. But as Deborah falls for the brooding doctor, she begins to wonder whether what he feels for her is a romantic passion or the concern for a lost puppy.
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October 8, 2010
I found this story a little dark and depressing. Our heroine has a really hard time of it. She has to deal with some pretty rough situations and gets bounced around a great deal. Our hero is a bit too austere and while he wants to give the girl a chance to land on her own two feet because she is very proud, I think he waited too long for the final rescue and marriage proposal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2013
The usual one problem after another for the heroine and the hero that we don't get to learn much about. I'll give Betty this, she sure created heroine's that kept going at all costs.
June 22, 2015
A very sweet romance. One of my favorites by this author.
August 20, 2011
Ah, the trials and tribulations of learning shorthand and word processing!
August 31, 2017
The one where she's a ginger with no employable skills and horrible step-siblings, who works in various people's homes caring for sick/elderly relatives, and fails her typing exam; while he's a rich, handsome, titled, English doctor (something to do with strokes) who owns a 16th century cottage in the country and is always there to rescue her when she's down on her luck.
July 25, 2016
A Cast of Interesting Characters
While the romance portion of the book is quite satisfying, the other characters are an important part of the book, and, as usual, Ms. Neels does an excellent job of weaving them into the story.
While the romance portion of the book is quite satisfying, the other characters are an important part of the book, and, as usual, Ms. Neels does an excellent job of weaving them into the story.
March 14, 2018
In the end...bliss
I always love reading Betty Neels books. They are always romantic and a happy ending. Strong hero and heroine overcoming obstacles.
I always love reading Betty Neels books. They are always romantic and a happy ending. Strong hero and heroine overcoming obstacles.
July 24, 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
December 6, 2025
Waiting for Deborah (1994) features one of Betty’s orphaned waifs. Like many a waif, Deborah has no job training because she has spent her youth to date staying at home to care first for her terminally ill mother, and then her stepfather. When he passes, he has not seen fit to provide anything for Deborah and after caretaking the house unpaid while they sell it, she is to be turfed out by her evil step-siblings, neither of whom did squat to help care for their father. Deborah decides not to wait around and goes and finds herself a job. She becomes the caretaker of an elderly woman living in the Cotswolds who has suffered a stroke and cannot move or speak. Mrs. Vernon is in very poor condition, made worse because she is neglected by her niece-in-law, whom she lives with. The niece hopes Mrs. Vernon will die so she can collect on the estate. But Deborah isn’t one to let that happen, and does her best to help Mrs. Vernon recover, although it has to be done on the sly. She is aided in her efforts by rich British doctor (RBD) Sir James Marlow, a consultant brought in to give his opinion on Mrs. Vernon. They work together to get Mrs. Vernon better, and since Sir James can see which way the wind is blowing with the niece and once Mrs. Vernon is a little more mobile and can communicate again, arranges for Deborah to take Mrs. Vernon to convalesce at her old home on the Devon coast in peace away from the niece. Sir James is at first not impressed with Deborah’s looks- thin, carroty hair but beautiful eyes- but he is impressed with her ethics and kindness. He is kind, patient, placid, paternal. When the job with Mrs. Vernon is over, and after Deborah has a brief sojourn as a hotel maid, Sir James finds her another job as a companion to a friend’s elderly uncle, an irascible but lovable old goat who says unkind but overlookable things, has to be restrained from riding the postman’s bicycle, and likes to keep Deborah busy playing chess. While Deborah babysits Uncle Oscar, Sir James turns up with some regularity, taking Deborah out to dinner and visiting his nearby country home. We get some H POV in this book, so we have some insight into Sir James’ growing interest in Deborah. Eventually, Uncle Oscar goes home, and Deborah is out of work again. Sir James takes her to stay with his old nanny while he finds her something else to do, but Deborah has decided she can’t continue to accept his rescue attempts. She also can’t know that by now, he is in love and wants to marry her but also thinks he needs to give her time on her own to get some life experience. I think this is more because of page count than anything else; Deborah isn’t one of Betty’s childlike, naïve heroines, for which I am thankful; those are the BN titles I enjoy the least, especially when the h is paired with a worldly H who is often 15-17 years older. Deborah ups and offs while Sir James is out of town, and gets herself placed in a secretarial school, while Sir James stews. But despite being mature and intelligent and hard-working, Deborah has to drop the word processing because her teacher tells her it is beyond her skills and then fails the typing and shorthand exams. I think this is more about Betty not really being au courant with this modern world circa 1994 (she was in her middle 80s at the time) than Deborah’s abilities as evidenced by her performance up to that point, where she shows considerable life skills, even if she is a quiet and low-key personality. But never mind: here comes Sir James, riding in on his white horse to whisk her away to a pleasant life of housewifery and babies.
Waiting for Deborah is full of all the details that make Betty so Betty. There is so much good content that I have not described here. I do have some qualms about Deborah’s so-called “inability” to master secretarial skills, and that marrying her constitutes Sir James’ final rescue. I think we have to remember that Betty was a product of her time, and her attitudes were common enough during the time she came to maturity, despite some of her personal experiences in life (she was a nurse in WWII! She likely was a primary breadwinner during at least some of her marriage due to her husband’s illness!) And anyway, as we all know too well, staying at home to manage the home and babies is hard, stressful work.
N.B., I found this delightful. 4 stars.
Waiting for Deborah is full of all the details that make Betty so Betty. There is so much good content that I have not described here. I do have some qualms about Deborah’s so-called “inability” to master secretarial skills, and that marrying her constitutes Sir James’ final rescue. I think we have to remember that Betty was a product of her time, and her attitudes were common enough during the time she came to maturity, despite some of her personal experiences in life (she was a nurse in WWII! She likely was a primary breadwinner during at least some of her marriage due to her husband’s illness!) And anyway, as we all know too well, staying at home to manage the home and babies is hard, stressful work.
N.B., I found this delightful. 4 stars.
February 6, 2018
This 1994 book was rather depressing for me. I am really not liking this trope where the poor and destitute heroine goes from one bad job to the next; sometimes it's from a bad job to a worse one with no end in sight. But it's Romanceland so we know the hero will marry her and give our heroine a good happy ever after!
Deborah spent the past few years nursing first her sick mother, and after her death, her unpleasant stepfather. When he died, which was when the story began, her stepbrother made her stay alone in the big house as caretaker till he managed to sell it. Grudgingly giving her some money for the house, he left with his equally cold sister. It's a wonder people who were already so rich be so stingy and mean, to their stepsister who looked after their own father too.
After meeting Sir James, he was always rescuing her from ne bad job to the next.
It was funny how he found it irritating that he could not put her out of his mind, and him helping her with the job looking after Mr Oscar Trent. He turned out to be a dear, and the way Lottie teased Sir James was funny too! Though I was baffled by the sudden appearance of the step siblings here. What for do they want Deborah to return with them? Where to? Since each live show n their own posh flats, and there wasn't any elderly left for Deborah to nurse was there? It might be a weak plot device for Sir James to once again come to the rescue...
Anyway it was depressing and tedious to read what happened to Deborah.
SPOILERS
The death of the landlady was the ultimate...Must BN bring Deborah so low? And James's noble intentions to ket Deborah live a life of her choosing...so much time wasted and more anguish for her! To fail BOTH her exams!
We were never told what Sir James specialised in; neurosurgeon? Because he seemed to deal with stroke patients a lot!
I wish both Deborah and Sir James had had more time alone to "date". The time spent driving all over the places do not count!
Deborah spent the past few years nursing first her sick mother, and after her death, her unpleasant stepfather. When he died, which was when the story began, her stepbrother made her stay alone in the big house as caretaker till he managed to sell it. Grudgingly giving her some money for the house, he left with his equally cold sister. It's a wonder people who were already so rich be so stingy and mean, to their stepsister who looked after their own father too.
After meeting Sir James, he was always rescuing her from ne bad job to the next.
It was funny how he found it irritating that he could not put her out of his mind, and him helping her with the job looking after Mr Oscar Trent. He turned out to be a dear, and the way Lottie teased Sir James was funny too! Though I was baffled by the sudden appearance of the step siblings here. What for do they want Deborah to return with them? Where to? Since each live show n their own posh flats, and there wasn't any elderly left for Deborah to nurse was there? It might be a weak plot device for Sir James to once again come to the rescue...
Anyway it was depressing and tedious to read what happened to Deborah.
SPOILERS
The death of the landlady was the ultimate...Must BN bring Deborah so low? And James's noble intentions to ket Deborah live a life of her choosing...so much time wasted and more anguish for her! To fail BOTH her exams!
We were never told what Sir James specialised in; neurosurgeon? Because he seemed to deal with stroke patients a lot!
I wish both Deborah and Sir James had had more time alone to "date". The time spent driving all over the places do not count!
June 5, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4 Fuzzy stars
I have been buying books from my local thrift store. As someone born in 1997 I enjoy an older style of writing it was beautiful and very fun! This was a short and sweet pick!
I enjoyed following Deborah and her journey to find a path in life. I understand her need to want to belong in a loving relationship. Its a void that cannot be filled with any type of work, especially with people not needing her or having her move from place to place. Its hard to feel at home truly. Sir James saw that hard working and loving woman no one took the time to admire. I personally love a traditional love story where a man makes a woman a house wife. I come from a very broken family and my biggest dream is being a wife mostly a house wife as I never had a mother at home. Deborah seems to have the same feelings for this want and need.
The one thing I didn’t enjoy was the SAVAGE comments at how ORDINARY or UNINTERESTING she looks…because she didn’t have money. But to be quiet honest people have those comments in life.
I enjoyed Sir James’ efforts to take care of Deborah although he is busy with his own life. Their paths cross by fate I would say it.
Sir James helped her in small ways and encouraged her, he let her live her life but every time he found her he couldn’t help but want to treat her well. Which i find there is no problem with it…She was going to do what she needed nontheless.
10/10 Female Main Character
10/10 Yearning in a short book 🥺
10/10 Traditional relationship!!!! 👩❤️👨
I have been buying books from my local thrift store. As someone born in 1997 I enjoy an older style of writing it was beautiful and very fun! This was a short and sweet pick!
I enjoyed following Deborah and her journey to find a path in life. I understand her need to want to belong in a loving relationship. Its a void that cannot be filled with any type of work, especially with people not needing her or having her move from place to place. Its hard to feel at home truly. Sir James saw that hard working and loving woman no one took the time to admire. I personally love a traditional love story where a man makes a woman a house wife. I come from a very broken family and my biggest dream is being a wife mostly a house wife as I never had a mother at home. Deborah seems to have the same feelings for this want and need.
The one thing I didn’t enjoy was the SAVAGE comments at how ORDINARY or UNINTERESTING she looks…because she didn’t have money. But to be quiet honest people have those comments in life.
I enjoyed Sir James’ efforts to take care of Deborah although he is busy with his own life. Their paths cross by fate I would say it.
Sir James helped her in small ways and encouraged her, he let her live her life but every time he found her he couldn’t help but want to treat her well. Which i find there is no problem with it…She was going to do what she needed nontheless.
10/10 Female Main Character
10/10 Yearning in a short book 🥺
10/10 Traditional relationship!!!! 👩❤️👨
October 20, 2025
3.8 star. enjoyed it. featuring nice british doc and carrotty haired plain waif of a girl who needs a job to escape horrid stepsivlings. at start, the doc doesnt notice fmc much and thinks of her as the girl with the carroty hair, but hes nice to her. fmc hardworking and determined to help her stroke patient old lady. she has plenty of obstacles in her mean greedy vindictive pretty woman employer and in her selfish heartless stepbrother and stepsister who left her impoverished. she ends up being out of work and needing help. he ends up with compulsive need to keep watch over her and help her out this was a sweet and gentle enjoyable read with not much angst. nothing majorly memorable but nothing unenjoyable either...
December 27, 2022
Wouldn't it be nice to have a very rich doctor come to one's rescue when needed?
Deborah has had a hard life after her mother died...then her mean step-father and also mean step-sister and brother...she is forced to leave her home after giving it a good cleaning...she goes from one hard job to another....
But finally the doctor Sir James Marlow realizes he loves her despite her badly cut red hair and marries her on the brink of another loss of job....
Deborah has had a hard life after her mother died...then her mean step-father and also mean step-sister and brother...she is forced to leave her home after giving it a good cleaning...she goes from one hard job to another....
But finally the doctor Sir James Marlow realizes he loves her despite her badly cut red hair and marries her on the brink of another loss of job....
June 4, 2023
Poor, hard-done-by Deborah. I adore these Cinderella stories from Betty Neels. She suffers so much, and all the way has a sensible head and a good heart. And the rich doctor falling slowly in love with her, against all good sense he seems to think, and before you know it he's head over heels and can't imagine life without her. Always a wonderful, feel good read with ole Betty.
September 2, 2024
The heroine is a waif and needs help and people seem to like her but I can’t buy the romance. It’s just not believable that the hero should fall in love with her. But among all betty needs secondary characters uncle Oscar, the old man she gets to temporary nurse is probably my all time favourite. Hence the second star.
November 29, 2024
Im a sucker for a Betty Neels romance, always have been since I discovered her more years ago than I care to admit lol. One wont find a truly steamy moment but lots of English moments, tea, hats and shopping at Harrods :). What more could you want?
October 3, 2019
The highlight of the story's uncle oscar. He's the best patient in betty neels world. Deborah and james are likeable and the story's so delightful.
October 13, 2019
Romantic
Lovely story I love Betty Neels books always a clean and living at other touches the Heart ❤ strong hero and loveable heroine.
Lovely story I love Betty Neels books always a clean and living at other touches the Heart ❤ strong hero and loveable heroine.
February 4, 2021
Loved it
Read it in one sitting. Delightful story. I am glad the steps were taken care of so nicely. All the short term jobs came in handy for Deborah to move forward.
Read it in one sitting. Delightful story. I am glad the steps were taken care of so nicely. All the short term jobs came in handy for Deborah to move forward.
April 6, 2021
nothing much going on here other than heroine getting bounced from one job to another. H is bland.
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