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Dr Fforde #1
Always and Forever
When Dr. Oliver Fforde unexpectedly arrives at Amabel's guesthouse during a winter storm, he makes a lasting impression. Of course, Amabel doesn't expect to see him again. Yet every time she finds herself in a sticky situation, Oliver reappears!
Trying to be an independent woman is proving difficult with such a chivalrous and charming man on hand. In fact, Amabel can't help but wonder if their loving friendship could become something more….
Trying to be an independent woman is proving difficult with such a chivalrous and charming man on hand. In fact, Amabel can't help but wonder if their loving friendship could become something more….
187 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
80 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
About the author
Betty Neels
564 books417 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
December 13, 2016
Amabel Parsons is an Araminta who is running a B&B single-handedly while her mother/partner is in Canada for the birth of a grandchild. Among the various overnight guests are our RBD, Oliver Fforde, and his mother.
When Mum returns from Canada with her new husband, Keith, Amabel quickly realizes she must leave; Keith doesn't like her (and her mom is a TERRIBLE mother for letting him treat her daughter so badly), he hates the family dog, Cyril, and Oscar, the cat, and threatens to have them put down.
So Amabel sneaks away to an aunt who lives near York; she gets a job in York working in a shop that belongs to a friend of the Veronica. Note: the Veronica - Miriam by name - and Dolores are very believable in this book. I know and loathe women who behave like them!
Anyway, Miriam persuades Dolores to sack Amabel, and she and her animals are left homeless. She takes sanctuary in a church, which is where Oliver finds her. No, he doesn't know he's in love with her yet; he's at the stage where She Was Always on his Mind, to paraphrase Willie Nelson.
As Fate Would Have It, his aunt has recently had a stroke and needs a companion; this will kill two birds by giving her a job and a home and she will be accessible for him to see her regularly.
But Evil Step-Father is lurking in the weeds. He calls Amabel, tells her that her mother is very ill, and guilts her into coming home - smart girl that she is, she leaves Cyril and Oscar at Lady Haleford. Of course, mum isn't really ill; Keith just wants slave labor.
Oliver to the rescue one final time. D&P& Kisses!
I really, really loved this book. It had everything essential to TGB. Plus, the denouement took up several pages! My favorite scene in the book is at Christmas: Oliver gives Amabel a gift and tells her that next Christmas will be different. The gift is a lover's knot brooch.
Reread December 12/13, 2016. I suspect this may become an annual Christmas reread. There are so many delightful bits.
Geography:
The village of Bolton Percy, where Aunt Thisbe lives.
York.
Animals:
Tiger is Oliver's dog and accompanies him just about everywhere.
Cyril is Amabel's dog and Oscar is her cat. She leaves home because her new step-father is an ARSE and wants to have the animals put down.
Tiger, Cyril and Oscar are actual characters in the story. Oliver and Amabel carry on important conversations with them, like this one:
"‘Am I being a fool?’ he enquired of Tiger, whose gruff rumble could have been either yes or no…"
And observations like this:
"'Oscar is in the kitchen,’ he observed. ‘What a sensible animal he is. Mrs Twitchett and Nelly have already fallen for his charms.’"
"Oscar, that astute cat, knew on which side his bread was buttered, for he settled down primly on the old lady’s lap and went to sleep."
People. Yes, stepfather Keith is a jerk and Mom is a selfish pig for treating Amabel like a slave with no life of her own. But as a positive, we have Lady Haleford, and her housekeeper, Mrs. Twitchett (who reminds me of Tabitha Twichett in the Beatrix Potter. Even minor characters, like the nice girl at the patisserie in York help to balance The Mean Girls, Miriam and Dolores.
And this scene. This!
"He got up to go presently. It was still snowing and he had some way to drive still. She went with him to the door, and Tiger, reluctant to leave Cyril and Oscar, pushed between them. Amabel bent to stroke him. ‘Go carefully,’ she said, ‘and I hope that you and your family have a lovely Christmas.’ He stood looking down at her. ‘Next year will be different!’ He fished a small packet from a pocket. ‘Happy Christmas, Amabel,’ he said, and kissed her." *sigh*
When Mum returns from Canada with her new husband, Keith, Amabel quickly realizes she must leave; Keith doesn't like her (and her mom is a TERRIBLE mother for letting him treat her daughter so badly), he hates the family dog, Cyril, and Oscar, the cat, and threatens to have them put down.
So Amabel sneaks away to an aunt who lives near York; she gets a job in York working in a shop that belongs to a friend of the Veronica. Note: the Veronica - Miriam by name - and Dolores are very believable in this book. I know and loathe women who behave like them!
Anyway, Miriam persuades Dolores to sack Amabel, and she and her animals are left homeless. She takes sanctuary in a church, which is where Oliver finds her. No, he doesn't know he's in love with her yet; he's at the stage where She Was Always on his Mind, to paraphrase Willie Nelson.
As Fate Would Have It, his aunt has recently had a stroke and needs a companion; this will kill two birds by giving her a job and a home and she will be accessible for him to see her regularly.
But Evil Step-Father is lurking in the weeds. He calls Amabel, tells her that her mother is very ill, and guilts her into coming home - smart girl that she is, she leaves Cyril and Oscar at Lady Haleford. Of course, mum isn't really ill; Keith just wants slave labor.
Oliver to the rescue one final time. D&P& Kisses!
I really, really loved this book. It had everything essential to TGB. Plus, the denouement took up several pages! My favorite scene in the book is at Christmas: Oliver gives Amabel a gift and tells her that next Christmas will be different. The gift is a lover's knot brooch.
Reread December 12/13, 2016. I suspect this may become an annual Christmas reread. There are so many delightful bits.
Geography:
The village of Bolton Percy, where Aunt Thisbe lives.
York.
Animals:
Tiger is Oliver's dog and accompanies him just about everywhere.
Cyril is Amabel's dog and Oscar is her cat. She leaves home because her new step-father is an ARSE and wants to have the animals put down.
Tiger, Cyril and Oscar are actual characters in the story. Oliver and Amabel carry on important conversations with them, like this one:
"‘Am I being a fool?’ he enquired of Tiger, whose gruff rumble could have been either yes or no…"
And observations like this:
"'Oscar is in the kitchen,’ he observed. ‘What a sensible animal he is. Mrs Twitchett and Nelly have already fallen for his charms.’"
"Oscar, that astute cat, knew on which side his bread was buttered, for he settled down primly on the old lady’s lap and went to sleep."
People. Yes, stepfather Keith is a jerk and Mom is a selfish pig for treating Amabel like a slave with no life of her own. But as a positive, we have Lady Haleford, and her housekeeper, Mrs. Twitchett (who reminds me of Tabitha Twichett in the Beatrix Potter. Even minor characters, like the nice girl at the patisserie in York help to balance The Mean Girls, Miriam and Dolores.
And this scene. This!
"He got up to go presently. It was still snowing and he had some way to drive still. She went with him to the door, and Tiger, reluctant to leave Cyril and Oscar, pushed between them. Amabel bent to stroke him. ‘Go carefully,’ she said, ‘and I hope that you and your family have a lovely Christmas.’ He stood looking down at her. ‘Next year will be different!’ He fished a small packet from a pocket. ‘Happy Christmas, Amabel,’ he said, and kissed her." *sigh*
December 17, 2022
I enjoyed these two main characters and the story with nods to David Copperfield. Her time in York working at a shop in The Shambles was sad, but with great scenery. The Christmas scenes were lovely and of course, all the food. I especially loved the big plot point of rescuing two beloved elderly pets from the wicked stepfather!
November 23, 2020
Another later (1999) waif-rescue story from Betty--although heroine Amabel does a decent job of rescuing herself once or twice first, and we all know that ultimately she rescues the hero, as do all BN heroines. But it's my least favorite trope, particularly in this instance, where the untrained and poor heroine is reduced to such dire straits that she is left homeless and destitute and wondering where to turn when he miraculously shows up (in an empty church) to sweep her off to safety and luxury. Too too Cinderella for me. Also, it suffers from hero/heroine separation--the hero does pop up in the heroine's life with planned regularity, but they are apart too much of the time (although in each other's thoughts).
That aside (and it's a lot to put aside), this one has some really lovely moments and well-rendered secondary characters, from the heroine's horrible mother and her even worse new husband, the pernicious OW and her spiteful enabling friend, the hero's irascible great aunt and the heroine's brusque but loving aunt, and the animals, who are given personalities (and importance) that really shine.
Pamela Shropshire has wonderful details about the best aspects of this one, so read her review. Overall, it's not bad but for me not one of Betty's best, although a few delightful moments (and the York setting, which Betty describes so well) elevate it beyond its failings.
That aside (and it's a lot to put aside), this one has some really lovely moments and well-rendered secondary characters, from the heroine's horrible mother and her even worse new husband, the pernicious OW and her spiteful enabling friend, the hero's irascible great aunt and the heroine's brusque but loving aunt, and the animals, who are given personalities (and importance) that really shine.
Pamela Shropshire has wonderful details about the best aspects of this one, so read her review. Overall, it's not bad but for me not one of Betty's best, although a few delightful moments (and the York setting, which Betty describes so well) elevate it beyond its failings.
November 24, 2015
One of my favorites by Betty. Even though he isn't dutch ; -)
May 2, 2023
This was such a sweet one! There’s a lot of movement in the story between Amabel’s home with her mother, her time in York, and then her time as a caregiver to an elderly woman. Three very different settings and characters and all interesting to read about. Aunt Thisbe is great! Amabel is such a sweet, gentle heroine, naive but brave and good hearted. I thought Oliver a splendid hero. He’s respectful of Amabel’s wish to be independent. He does step in to help her when she needs a friend but he’s not overbearing. The relationship between them develops beautifully. There is an OW but she’s not a serious contender and plays the villain in an enjoyable way, haha Enough to add tension to the story but she doesn’t wreak too much havoc. She actually shoots herself in the foot a lot so it’s fun to rejoice in her slow downfall. 😂 There is another villain in the story too. The only thing I would change about this is that I wanted Amabel to defy that villain even more. That whole story thread was troubling but interesting. Some fun animals in this one too.
Thanks to Lisa for my copy of this! I can’t wait to re-read it.
Thanks to Lisa for my copy of this! I can’t wait to re-read it.
January 15, 2016
Another winner by Betty Neels.
She is not a nurse but he is a doctor. I didn't think her mom was going to turn out to be as selfish as she ended up being but I guess she had to have some similarity to the man she married to while on vacation to see her older daughter in Canada... In the mean time she left her younger daughter right out of school all alone running her bed and breakfast in the middle of nowhere. No wonder her new husband had the audacity to expect Amabel to wear three hats.. the day laborer in the new garden center, a cook and a maid at the house.
The story also has a malicious OW and a venomous BF of the OW.
I love Betty Neels stories that have animals as secondary characters.
She is not a nurse but he is a doctor. I didn't think her mom was going to turn out to be as selfish as she ended up being but I guess she had to have some similarity to the man she married to while on vacation to see her older daughter in Canada... In the mean time she left her younger daughter right out of school all alone running her bed and breakfast in the middle of nowhere. No wonder her new husband had the audacity to expect Amabel to wear three hats.. the day laborer in the new garden center, a cook and a maid at the house.
The story also has a malicious OW and a venomous BF of the OW.
I love Betty Neels stories that have animals as secondary characters.
March 30, 2020
Esta novelita de Betty es hermosa, como lo son las mejores de toda su obra.
Tenemos a la heroína canon de esta autora: Amabel, una pobrecita que vive trabajando en la hostería que tiene en su casa con una madre que viajó al exterior para cuidar de una hermana. Una noche llega el doctor, en este caso inglés, a pasar la noche con su madre y todo comienza así. Días más tarde, la madre de Amabel vuelve con su nuevo marido, que es un tipo odioso que quiere hacer trabajar a su hijastra e incluso llega a querer sacrificar a sus animales -un gato y un perro-, por lo que nuestra heroína se marcha de la casa con sus dos amigos.
La esencia de esta escritora me toca el corazón, sabe dónde hacerlo. Me entra por el lado de la protagonista a la que nada le sale bien, pero por sus animales y por ella misma sale adelante, siendo recompensada por el amor al final de cada historia.
Tenemos a la heroína canon de esta autora: Amabel, una pobrecita que vive trabajando en la hostería que tiene en su casa con una madre que viajó al exterior para cuidar de una hermana. Una noche llega el doctor, en este caso inglés, a pasar la noche con su madre y todo comienza así. Días más tarde, la madre de Amabel vuelve con su nuevo marido, que es un tipo odioso que quiere hacer trabajar a su hijastra e incluso llega a querer sacrificar a sus animales -un gato y un perro-, por lo que nuestra heroína se marcha de la casa con sus dos amigos.
La esencia de esta escritora me toca el corazón, sabe dónde hacerlo. Me entra por el lado de la protagonista a la que nada le sale bien, pero por sus animales y por ella misma sale adelante, siendo recompensada por el amor al final de cada historia.
December 14, 2018
Dear god. How cold and frigid this book is. A hero who constantly thinks of her as “plain” and a heroine that must’ve been Cinderella in a past life.
February 26, 2021
Betty Neels was an absolute gem when it comes to romance. Old school swoon worthy, she really was and still is a favourite author for me. Though no where near what you read now she still manages to deliver a fabulous read that brings all the feels. I think for me it’s always the unassuming girls she picked as her leads. They are relatable, sweet, loving and have none of the attributes we see now in the mainstream media.
They weren’t raving beauties, they didn’t have the perfect body that seems to plague a lot of what we see now. These girls are someone you’d be friends with, who’d do anything for you no questions asked.
The male leads are gallant, have manners and a family vibe. Though wealthy and handsome they always manage to sweep out heroine off her feet. If your after a heat factor then don’t expect it here. There’s no sex. None! A kiss is it. I know right? I adore this author.
It’s a yes from me.
They weren’t raving beauties, they didn’t have the perfect body that seems to plague a lot of what we see now. These girls are someone you’d be friends with, who’d do anything for you no questions asked.
The male leads are gallant, have manners and a family vibe. Though wealthy and handsome they always manage to sweep out heroine off her feet. If your after a heat factor then don’t expect it here. There’s no sex. None! A kiss is it. I know right? I adore this author.
It’s a yes from me.
September 17, 2014
This is a later story with a heroine without any skills and training. Amabel is running her mother's guest house while she is away when Dr Oliver Fforde is stranded overnight during a storm. It seems to be a one off event but somehow he keeps turning up.
Amabel is cast adrift when mum brings home a selfish step-father who ill-treats the animals and somehow Oliver helps her out in various ways.
As is common with Neels, there is an evil other woman who feels threatened by Oliver's interest in the plain but lovable Amabel and this leads to more opportunities for Oliver to rescue her.
Oliver is one of Neels oblivious heroes who doesn't realise his feelings until well down the track even though he find himself thinking about Amabel at odd times.
A nice little read but not as satisfying perhaps as her nurse heroine romances who were less browbeaten.
Amabel is cast adrift when mum brings home a selfish step-father who ill-treats the animals and somehow Oliver helps her out in various ways.
As is common with Neels, there is an evil other woman who feels threatened by Oliver's interest in the plain but lovable Amabel and this leads to more opportunities for Oliver to rescue her.
Oliver is one of Neels oblivious heroes who doesn't realise his feelings until well down the track even though he find himself thinking about Amabel at odd times.
A nice little read but not as satisfying perhaps as her nurse heroine romances who were less browbeaten.
September 4, 2013
A very sweet, charming tale. Perfect for fans of Jane Austen.
July 18, 2023
Same as any other Betty novels except that heroine is not a nurse but still dependent on hero to arrange her life.
April 25, 2020
I always like to read my Betty Neels romances. This one is not bad, except for the constant mention of all the animals. Amabel leaves home after her mother remarries. Her stepfather threatens to put down their aged cat and dog. What follows is a succession of moves, usually unplanned, so that Amabel can find a job and be independent. I felt bad for these poor pets. Otherwise, I did enjoy how Dr. Oliver Fforde (along with her aunt and his mother) contrived to rescue Amabel from a life of drudgery. They are well-suited and deserve each other. Miriam, who wants the rich doctor for herself (only for his money and prestige), tries her best to keep them apart.
May 2, 2012
I did not particularly like this story. I almost did not finish it. I wanted to slap the heroine upside the head and tell her to get a spine and deal with it. She just waits to be rescued by the hero with tears in her eyes. I can't stand charcters who act like they are useless and can't take care of the bumps of life.
Read
September 10, 2020A selfish stepfather and equally selfish mother. Mother helped husband to trap her into retuning home to work as cheap labour for them while dislike her was horrible. Awful OW who asked her friend to sack the heroine. The lover’s knot was sweet but not appealing to me. Hahahahaha! Taking care of old dog and cat so her stepfather could not kill them was sweet.
November 10, 2025
3.5 stars. thisbhad so much potential but was much shorter than I expected and felt rushed in the last half and the ending also felt rushed. I think that's why I ended up not feeling the satisfaction a BN book usually gives me. if you are prepared for a shorter book, you may enjoy this a lot as it was good for a novella.
this is the one where h, Amabel, is running a b&b all alone after her mom has swanned off to Canada for a holiday leaving the h all alone with just a cat and dog for company. H and his mom stay at the b&b overnight and H finds himself worried about h being all alone..a few days later he returns just to check up on her and takes her to lunch.
H is Oliver, a British doctor, not the super rich type but affluent enough. there is no car porn and no huge grand house here, but he is well off enough and a hardworking doctor. he is 34, she is 26 but reads as much younger.
h's mom returns from Canada with a selfish husband. this new stepdad dislikes h and wants to use her as free labour in his farming business, and also attacks her pets and is going to kill them. h's mom is under his spell and thinks h should do what the man wants. h has no option and she packs and leaves.
The story felt a bit slow to start but soon speeds up and gets v interesting after she runs away from home and Oliver is so concerned that he comes looking for her all the way to York! that was really sweet.
SPOILERS
He makes sure she is safe in York. helps her find work. but there is an evil OW in play who is plotting to marry the H and she finds out about Olivers interest in Amabel and schemes to get Amabel fired, hoping this will mean Oliver can't find her again. amabel had to survive some horrid days all alone with 2 pets in a lonely city and no mercy and no job. sob. this is a v touching time.
but thank goodness for Oliver who comes searching high and low for her again and is relieved to find her. this time he decides he must absolutely take her back with him to ensure she is going to be okay so he gives her a job ad a companion to his old aunt.
the OW finds out and is furious and once again schemes to separate the pair.
Because the book is so short, we go from Oliver thinking of Amabel as a friend who he wants to help and make sure she's OK so he can get on with his life, and then suddenly in their next scene together he has decided he's in love with her and wants to marry her and he is waiting for her to realise she is in love with him. There was no moment of realisation for him shown on page or even hinted at, so that was a bit jarring and too sudden a shift for my liking. almost ad if Betty decided suddenly to cut short the book rather than develop it diether, which is a pity as it was such a promising start, a great set up for more drama with the OW, and some interesting and enjoyable side characters too.
the Other woman truly is a scheming piece of work and we get to see the machinations of her mind from her pov. She is determined to have Oliver even after he has told her he isn't interested in her, and she remains determined to get h out of the way. It's fun to anticipate her next scheme and hope that Oliver can foil it, usually unwittingly and from the sheer determination of his feelings for the h. it was yummy to see the OW's scheming failing.
the ending comes suddenly again. (and this is because I kept thinking we were halfway into the book because my book was a duo and I hadn't been aware of it and I was expecting this story was only halfway through at this point, only to find the ending jarringly rushing at me.)
the climactic tension was my beloved setup of upset heroine running away from hero due to much angst and hero having to come and find her and grovel for the pain he caused. nope. here, the selfish stingy stepdad forces Amabel to return home, claiming her kother had been sick, but exaggerating it because he is so stingy he doesnt want to pay for the home help he can easily afford. the selfish mother helps the husband along. yuck. and once amabel arrives, she relaises they were lying but she cant find a way to leave as her mom keeps faking renewed illness. it really peeved me off how disgustingly selfish that pair were. so anyway, oliver is working hard and he catches wind of this and sweep in to the rescue. he takes her away and says he's taking her home to their home and tells he loves her and has done since he met her, though he never realised it. So sweet. he drives her to his house (where a chaperone is waiting of course) and where she will stay until they wed. the ending was sweet, even if it felt rushed, because this pair were lovely to each other and also lovely people and I found myself rooting for them.
this was one of Betty's romances without much angst but where the couple are just so nice to each other and yet there is enough other drama to keep the tale interesting. I enjoyed it and the main reason for giving just 3.5 stars is that it's full potential was not realised enough for it to give me all the feels and thus didn't feel like a truly satisfying read, but only because my expectations had been so hyped up by a promising start.
my advice is lower your expectations and you will enjoy this very much as a sweet little novella.
this is the one where h, Amabel, is running a b&b all alone after her mom has swanned off to Canada for a holiday leaving the h all alone with just a cat and dog for company. H and his mom stay at the b&b overnight and H finds himself worried about h being all alone..a few days later he returns just to check up on her and takes her to lunch.
H is Oliver, a British doctor, not the super rich type but affluent enough. there is no car porn and no huge grand house here, but he is well off enough and a hardworking doctor. he is 34, she is 26 but reads as much younger.
h's mom returns from Canada with a selfish husband. this new stepdad dislikes h and wants to use her as free labour in his farming business, and also attacks her pets and is going to kill them. h's mom is under his spell and thinks h should do what the man wants. h has no option and she packs and leaves.
The story felt a bit slow to start but soon speeds up and gets v interesting after she runs away from home and Oliver is so concerned that he comes looking for her all the way to York! that was really sweet.
SPOILERS
He makes sure she is safe in York. helps her find work. but there is an evil OW in play who is plotting to marry the H and she finds out about Olivers interest in Amabel and schemes to get Amabel fired, hoping this will mean Oliver can't find her again. amabel had to survive some horrid days all alone with 2 pets in a lonely city and no mercy and no job. sob. this is a v touching time.
but thank goodness for Oliver who comes searching high and low for her again and is relieved to find her. this time he decides he must absolutely take her back with him to ensure she is going to be okay so he gives her a job ad a companion to his old aunt.
the OW finds out and is furious and once again schemes to separate the pair.
Because the book is so short, we go from Oliver thinking of Amabel as a friend who he wants to help and make sure she's OK so he can get on with his life, and then suddenly in their next scene together he has decided he's in love with her and wants to marry her and he is waiting for her to realise she is in love with him. There was no moment of realisation for him shown on page or even hinted at, so that was a bit jarring and too sudden a shift for my liking. almost ad if Betty decided suddenly to cut short the book rather than develop it diether, which is a pity as it was such a promising start, a great set up for more drama with the OW, and some interesting and enjoyable side characters too.
the Other woman truly is a scheming piece of work and we get to see the machinations of her mind from her pov. She is determined to have Oliver even after he has told her he isn't interested in her, and she remains determined to get h out of the way. It's fun to anticipate her next scheme and hope that Oliver can foil it, usually unwittingly and from the sheer determination of his feelings for the h. it was yummy to see the OW's scheming failing.
the ending comes suddenly again. (and this is because I kept thinking we were halfway into the book because my book was a duo and I hadn't been aware of it and I was expecting this story was only halfway through at this point, only to find the ending jarringly rushing at me.)
the climactic tension was my beloved setup of upset heroine running away from hero due to much angst and hero having to come and find her and grovel for the pain he caused. nope. here, the selfish stingy stepdad forces Amabel to return home, claiming her kother had been sick, but exaggerating it because he is so stingy he doesnt want to pay for the home help he can easily afford. the selfish mother helps the husband along. yuck. and once amabel arrives, she relaises they were lying but she cant find a way to leave as her mom keeps faking renewed illness. it really peeved me off how disgustingly selfish that pair were. so anyway, oliver is working hard and he catches wind of this and sweep in to the rescue. he takes her away and says he's taking her home to their home and tells he loves her and has done since he met her, though he never realised it. So sweet. he drives her to his house (where a chaperone is waiting of course) and where she will stay until they wed. the ending was sweet, even if it felt rushed, because this pair were lovely to each other and also lovely people and I found myself rooting for them.
this was one of Betty's romances without much angst but where the couple are just so nice to each other and yet there is enough other drama to keep the tale interesting. I enjoyed it and the main reason for giving just 3.5 stars is that it's full potential was not realised enough for it to give me all the feels and thus didn't feel like a truly satisfying read, but only because my expectations had been so hyped up by a promising start.
my advice is lower your expectations and you will enjoy this very much as a sweet little novella.
February 22, 2010
Amabel is a good heroine, and I liked that the H/h were friends. The fact that Oliver continued to save her over and over is not the most modern storyline, but it was handled well.
September 30, 2014
3.5 a sort-of Cinderella story. The heroine was a bit too much of a pushover.
November 10, 2025
Título original: Always and forever
February 17, 2020
Sweet,
I liked the book, very sweet but I am thoroughly disliking conniving, opportunistic women and there were two of them in this story.
I liked the book, very sweet but I am thoroughly disliking conniving, opportunistic women and there were two of them in this story.
December 22, 2022
3+ and it's Betty, so 4 stars instead of 3
On my rereading Bettys to get them sorted into finer-tuned Greater and Lesser, to get them on GR, and to race to the finish for this year's reading challenge with some easy, comfort reads. I chose the batch of Bettys to complete my year with for having winter or Christmas in the title or description. This one's blurb claims the doctor shows up in a winter storm--he does not--but they do wind up together in time for Christmas with much mention of that, so good enough.
I had little memory of this one, which is quite a treat of a different sort. And, come to think of it, no real memory of it because it's such a (somewhat) tepid amalgam of other Bettys I've reread and enjoyed more. Not an RDD, but might as well be. A quieter, pared-down version of 'chain of destiny' and others similar.
"He kissed her then, and the wintry little lane was no longer a lane but heaven."
Quick notes:
-- Amabel runs the bed and breakfast while mother is away visiting the other daughter in Canada
-- Enter the concerned and interested doc, who doesn't quite know why he's interested and concerned, when he and his mother stop at the b&b for a night's shelter
-- They get along easily, immediately, and mutually appreciate each other's appreciation for genuine, simple, quiet things, and dogs and cats
-- Mother writes from Canada, I'm getting married! how exciting! see you sometime I guess
-- Amabel must now pivot her life, seeing immediately she won't be able to stay in the house with mother and new husband, and is determined rather than self-pitying; she does finally have a good cry but then takes herself in hand and tries to figure it out
-- In typical Betty fashion, Amabel has plenty of good qualities and skills but nothing that would get her a reliable job, so it's a scramble and starting at the bottom
-- The doc calls in- he wants to see her but doesn't know quite why- comforts her, allows her a little weep, feeds her a good dinner, her in her best only somewhat shabby cranberry-colored jersey dress and rose-shaded lamps at the hotel!
-- New husband doesn't like Amabel OR the animals, awful man; he's unkind and sees Amabel as free labor and a Betty-type feckless mother is run roughshod and goes with his whims, and not protecting her daughter
-- Thank goodness for Aunt Thisbe
-- Oliver tracks her down, is kindly but nothing more, however suddenly desperately wants to kiss her (but isn't sure why, for she is quite plain...)
-- This book is full of food and now I want a proper old-fashioned tea
-- She must have an independent life, doc helps her find an awful little job for an awful little woman, complete with an awful little studio to live in; she'll be mistreated and overworked but at least the pets are safe (terrible stepfather was going to put them down)
-- She's getting on and being taken advantage of but knows it, is making the best of it. Doc visits, treats her to good food and kindness and of course works with Aunt's trusty retainers as to Amabel's wellbeing
-- Enter the other woman, who the awful store owner conspires with against Amabel, and soon enough gives Amabel the sack out of spite and to get her out of Oliver's range and attention, as if that's possible
-- Amabel is forced to move out immediately--which puts the doctor in a cold rage once he discovers it--but he finds her in a little chapel and gives her a hug and saves the day, and the animals
-- His old aunt needs a companion!
-- Companion work it is!
-- They have their separate dawning realizations but can't believe the other ever will / he must wait for her to discover she could love him while dancing and is now impatient to have her as hers
-- A Hard Kiss (no swoop)
-- Static from the other woman meddling, Amabel develops Doubts
-- For Christmas Oliver gifts her a true lovers knot brooch
-- Odious stepfather calls, cries the mother is quite sick, Amabel arrives and finds he wants free help and mother is more or less fine
-- Oliver comes to collect her, puts them all in their place... oh, his all-encompassing, hard embrace!
-- Whisks her away from the odious stepfather, sees everyone important to verify she's well and cared for on their way to collect the animals and tell old aunt she can no longer be a companion, for next is a proposal in the wintry lane and a long satisfying kiss
On my rereading Bettys to get them sorted into finer-tuned Greater and Lesser, to get them on GR, and to race to the finish for this year's reading challenge with some easy, comfort reads. I chose the batch of Bettys to complete my year with for having winter or Christmas in the title or description. This one's blurb claims the doctor shows up in a winter storm--he does not--but they do wind up together in time for Christmas with much mention of that, so good enough.
I had little memory of this one, which is quite a treat of a different sort. And, come to think of it, no real memory of it because it's such a (somewhat) tepid amalgam of other Bettys I've reread and enjoyed more. Not an RDD, but might as well be. A quieter, pared-down version of 'chain of destiny' and others similar.
"He kissed her then, and the wintry little lane was no longer a lane but heaven."
Quick notes:
-- Amabel runs the bed and breakfast while mother is away visiting the other daughter in Canada
-- Enter the concerned and interested doc, who doesn't quite know why he's interested and concerned, when he and his mother stop at the b&b for a night's shelter
-- They get along easily, immediately, and mutually appreciate each other's appreciation for genuine, simple, quiet things, and dogs and cats
-- Mother writes from Canada, I'm getting married! how exciting! see you sometime I guess
-- Amabel must now pivot her life, seeing immediately she won't be able to stay in the house with mother and new husband, and is determined rather than self-pitying; she does finally have a good cry but then takes herself in hand and tries to figure it out
-- In typical Betty fashion, Amabel has plenty of good qualities and skills but nothing that would get her a reliable job, so it's a scramble and starting at the bottom
-- The doc calls in- he wants to see her but doesn't know quite why- comforts her, allows her a little weep, feeds her a good dinner, her in her best only somewhat shabby cranberry-colored jersey dress and rose-shaded lamps at the hotel!
-- New husband doesn't like Amabel OR the animals, awful man; he's unkind and sees Amabel as free labor and a Betty-type feckless mother is run roughshod and goes with his whims, and not protecting her daughter
-- Thank goodness for Aunt Thisbe
-- Oliver tracks her down, is kindly but nothing more, however suddenly desperately wants to kiss her (but isn't sure why, for she is quite plain...)
-- This book is full of food and now I want a proper old-fashioned tea
-- She must have an independent life, doc helps her find an awful little job for an awful little woman, complete with an awful little studio to live in; she'll be mistreated and overworked but at least the pets are safe (terrible stepfather was going to put them down)
-- She's getting on and being taken advantage of but knows it, is making the best of it. Doc visits, treats her to good food and kindness and of course works with Aunt's trusty retainers as to Amabel's wellbeing
-- Enter the other woman, who the awful store owner conspires with against Amabel, and soon enough gives Amabel the sack out of spite and to get her out of Oliver's range and attention, as if that's possible
-- Amabel is forced to move out immediately--which puts the doctor in a cold rage once he discovers it--but he finds her in a little chapel and gives her a hug and saves the day, and the animals
-- His old aunt needs a companion!
-- Companion work it is!
-- They have their separate dawning realizations but can't believe the other ever will / he must wait for her to discover she could love him while dancing and is now impatient to have her as hers
-- A Hard Kiss (no swoop)
-- Static from the other woman meddling, Amabel develops Doubts
-- For Christmas Oliver gifts her a true lovers knot brooch
-- Odious stepfather calls, cries the mother is quite sick, Amabel arrives and finds he wants free help and mother is more or less fine
-- Oliver comes to collect her, puts them all in their place... oh, his all-encompassing, hard embrace!
-- Whisks her away from the odious stepfather, sees everyone important to verify she's well and cared for on their way to collect the animals and tell old aunt she can no longer be a companion, for next is a proposal in the wintry lane and a long satisfying kiss
November 10, 2025
3.5 stars. this had so much potential but was much shorter than I expected and felt rushed in the last half and the ending also felt rushed. I think that's why I ended up not feeling the satisfaction a BN book usually gives me. if you are prepared for a shorter book, you may enjoy this a lot as it was good for a novella.
this is the one where h Amabel (26 but reads younger) is left running a b&b all alone after her mother swans off to Canada for a holiday. H Oliver and his mom stay one night and H is so concerned about her being alone and her safety that he comes back a few days later to make sure h is okay and ends up taking her for a meal.
H is a brit doc, 34, not one of the super rich ones but well off enough. no car porn either in this book. so anyway, h's mom returns from Canada with an evil stepdad figure and h soon finds herslef fleeing her home with her pets because evil stepdad was going to kill the pets. grrr!
she ends up going all the way to York and H is worried enough to go all the way there to check up on her and to find her a job and get her settled. it's all very sweet.
SPOILERS
an evil OW who is plotting to marry the H finds out he's been hanging out with Amabel and conspires to get Amabel fired, hoping it will get rid of her out of docs life. but his concern for amabel means he ends up searching for poor amabel high and low and finding her at rock bottom and saving her again.
evil other woman continues to plot to separate them, which adds interest to the story.
this story is A bit slow to start but soon speeds up and gets v interesting after she runs away from home and Oliver is so concerned that he comes looking for her all the way to York. however it then becomes very rushed suddenly. which took me by surprise. i thought I was onlybhalfeay through the book (not knowing my book was a duo) so the speed of the ending came walloping me in the face.
in one scene Oliver is thinking of amabel as a friend who he wants to help and make sure she's OK so he can get on with his life. Suddenly, in their next scene together, he had decided he's in love with her and wants to marry her and he is waiting for her to realise she is in love with him. There was no moment of realisation for him shown or even hinted at on page so that was a bit jarring and too sudden a shift for my liking.
Other woman truly is a scheming piece of work and we get to see the machinations of her mind from her pov. She is determined to have Oliver even after he has told her he isn't interested and she is still determined to get h out of the way. It's fun to know her next scheme will be coming and hope that Oliver or Amabel can foil it.
the ending wasn't the setup I like where the heartbroken h flees the H and he has to come looking for her and make things right. this time we see her being conned into going back to her user mom and stepdad and Oliver comes to rescue her from there.
he sweeps her away and says he's taking her home to their home and tells he he loves her and has done since he met her but he just hadn't released it. it was So sweet.
the main reason for the lower rating for me for this book is because I was expecting so much more. fully developed, this could have been something special, but instead we got a big sudden rush. however it is still a sweet tales where we find ourselves rooting for H and h, who are so lovely together. minimal angst which was good here bevause they were sonlovely together, even if my personal preference is for max angst.
my advice is set lower expectations and you will find this is a lovely little sweet novella. I recomed reading it, buy not expecting le grande sweeping passion. more like tasty little snack.
this is the one where h Amabel (26 but reads younger) is left running a b&b all alone after her mother swans off to Canada for a holiday. H Oliver and his mom stay one night and H is so concerned about her being alone and her safety that he comes back a few days later to make sure h is okay and ends up taking her for a meal.
H is a brit doc, 34, not one of the super rich ones but well off enough. no car porn either in this book. so anyway, h's mom returns from Canada with an evil stepdad figure and h soon finds herslef fleeing her home with her pets because evil stepdad was going to kill the pets. grrr!
she ends up going all the way to York and H is worried enough to go all the way there to check up on her and to find her a job and get her settled. it's all very sweet.
SPOILERS
an evil OW who is plotting to marry the H finds out he's been hanging out with Amabel and conspires to get Amabel fired, hoping it will get rid of her out of docs life. but his concern for amabel means he ends up searching for poor amabel high and low and finding her at rock bottom and saving her again.
evil other woman continues to plot to separate them, which adds interest to the story.
this story is A bit slow to start but soon speeds up and gets v interesting after she runs away from home and Oliver is so concerned that he comes looking for her all the way to York. however it then becomes very rushed suddenly. which took me by surprise. i thought I was onlybhalfeay through the book (not knowing my book was a duo) so the speed of the ending came walloping me in the face.
in one scene Oliver is thinking of amabel as a friend who he wants to help and make sure she's OK so he can get on with his life. Suddenly, in their next scene together, he had decided he's in love with her and wants to marry her and he is waiting for her to realise she is in love with him. There was no moment of realisation for him shown or even hinted at on page so that was a bit jarring and too sudden a shift for my liking.
Other woman truly is a scheming piece of work and we get to see the machinations of her mind from her pov. She is determined to have Oliver even after he has told her he isn't interested and she is still determined to get h out of the way. It's fun to know her next scheme will be coming and hope that Oliver or Amabel can foil it.
the ending wasn't the setup I like where the heartbroken h flees the H and he has to come looking for her and make things right. this time we see her being conned into going back to her user mom and stepdad and Oliver comes to rescue her from there.
he sweeps her away and says he's taking her home to their home and tells he he loves her and has done since he met her but he just hadn't released it. it was So sweet.
the main reason for the lower rating for me for this book is because I was expecting so much more. fully developed, this could have been something special, but instead we got a big sudden rush. however it is still a sweet tales where we find ourselves rooting for H and h, who are so lovely together. minimal angst which was good here bevause they were sonlovely together, even if my personal preference is for max angst.
my advice is set lower expectations and you will find this is a lovely little sweet novella. I recomed reading it, buy not expecting le grande sweeping passion. more like tasty little snack.
February 6, 2024
Another good story by Betty Neels....it all takes place in England with Amabel trying to keep a bed and breakfast going without her mother who is in Canada....to be with a new grandchild but then she marries a very dominating man who loves her but isn't nice to many others.
He dislikes Amabel and wants to have her dog and cat 'put down' because he doesn't like animals....so when they arrive and tell Amabel all they are going to do, she runs away with the animals to her father's sister who is so kind to her
Because her Aunt had planned to go to Italy for the winter, Amabel tells her aunt that she has a job in a small town whose owner was a tyrant....didn't do any work but provided a room, cut salary and gives her mountains of work to do...which she does because she can have the animals there.
Dr. Oliver Fforde had met Amabel when he and his mother stopped at her bed and breakfast during a storm....and he always seemed to find out where she was...usually in a not very good situation and finally she works for his aunt who has had a stroke.
They are good friends and told each other a lot of information; her more than him; and he realizes finally that he is in love with her but he has a widow who is determined to have him and she causes a lot of problems for them....but all works out wonderfully at the end.
He dislikes Amabel and wants to have her dog and cat 'put down' because he doesn't like animals....so when they arrive and tell Amabel all they are going to do, she runs away with the animals to her father's sister who is so kind to her
Because her Aunt had planned to go to Italy for the winter, Amabel tells her aunt that she has a job in a small town whose owner was a tyrant....didn't do any work but provided a room, cut salary and gives her mountains of work to do...which she does because she can have the animals there.
Dr. Oliver Fforde had met Amabel when he and his mother stopped at her bed and breakfast during a storm....and he always seemed to find out where she was...usually in a not very good situation and finally she works for his aunt who has had a stroke.
They are good friends and told each other a lot of information; her more than him; and he realizes finally that he is in love with her but he has a widow who is determined to have him and she causes a lot of problems for them....but all works out wonderfully at the end.
August 26, 2024
The first in the Dr. Fforde series - even tho no mention of the first Dr. Fforde is mentioned in the second Dr. Fforde story (and vise versa). This is a very tender, enjoyable story albeit our heroine was a bit of a professional victim. It did take me a while to realize that her name was Amabel and not Annabel. Amabel's heart was in the right place; she couldn't see innocent pets thrown out with the trash. So, she did what she could to keep them close. Some days I do wish that sitting in a church crying one's eyes out did actually bring even a plain girl's knight in shining armor to her rescue. A fairy tale at best but it makes for cozy happily ever afters.
March 31, 2023
My second Betty Neels romance. Definitely an older style gentle read, again, with similarities with the last one I read. The endings are satisfying, yet rushed, and I get frustrated with both parties in the "romance", but a pleasant enough "palate-cleansing" read after more modern fiction.
Years ago a colleague first told me about Neels and declared she was one of her favorite authors. I'm not sure I'd go that far. But I will try another to see if I get too tired of wishy-washy protagonists that have trouble admitting to themselves that they are in love.
Years ago a colleague first told me about Neels and declared she was one of her favorite authors. I'm not sure I'd go that far. But I will try another to see if I get too tired of wishy-washy protagonists that have trouble admitting to themselves that they are in love.
May 14, 2020
A favorite!
One of the most charming of Betty Neels stories. This is the book to read on a quiet rainy evening beside a crackling fire. The characters are deftly drawn. The heroine is a delicate balance of kindness, optimism, and strength. The hero is a wonderful complimentary character. At every stage the story is satisfying without undo drama, angst or foolishness. Well done.
One of the most charming of Betty Neels stories. This is the book to read on a quiet rainy evening beside a crackling fire. The characters are deftly drawn. The heroine is a delicate balance of kindness, optimism, and strength. The hero is a wonderful complimentary character. At every stage the story is satisfying without undo drama, angst or foolishness. Well done.
December 1, 2025
Edited December 1, 2025: revised to 5 stars because I couldn't remember why I thought it was only worth 4 stars. It's a delightful entry in the BN canon.
**************************
Original review:
Always and Forever is one of the very last books that Betty Neels wrote. She would have been 90 or 91 at the time of writing, and the feel of the book is 100% Betty. This is not always true of the late canon. And as always with Betty, many of the plot points and tropes could have been taken nearly verbatim from any number of her other books. But that is OK. With Betty, you get so immersed in the details of her world that the repetitive plots become a true pleasure, even a comfort.
The book opens with our heroine Amabel running the family bed and breakfast while her widowed mother is traveling to Canada to visit Amabel’s sister. One of the guests is RBD (Rich British Doctor) Dr. Oliver Fforde. He is interested in Amabel, working on her own in an isolated area and also concerned about her. He finds reasons to go see her a few more times on his own, taking her out for meals and getting to know her. But changes are afoot for Amabel. When Mum returns, she brings a new husband that she collected in Canada and he’s just awful. Not only is he obnoxious, rude and mean, but he razes the orchard out back to put in an ugly greenhouse to supply a market garden, makes plans to use Amabel for slave labor, and threatens to put down the elderly pets. But Amabel hasn’t lost her agency, and using the grocery money out of the tea caddy, all three (Amabel, Cyril the dog and Oscar the cat) abscond to York to stay with her Aunt Thisbe. Meanwhile, Oliver finds himself thinking of Amabel and makes another trip to see her only to find that she is gone. Good, he thinks, she’s safe with her family, I don’t need to worry about her.
Uh-huh. Sure. Within days, he’s cleared his schedule and is on his way to Yorkshire. He spends the day with Amabel, and they firmly cement their friendship. Aunt Thisbe is very kind and warm to Amabel, and all in all, things are looking up.
But Amabel knows she can’t trade on her aunt’s kindness forever. She finds a job in York, a little gift shop in the Shambles (a very popular medieval street filled with shops, restaurants and businesses), and is allowed to live in the back room with Cyril and Oscar. The shop owner Dolores is lazy and not especially kind, but she’s only pushed to outright meanness when influenced by her friend Miriam, who just so happens to be Oliver’s would-be OW. (I know, coincidence and fate are remarkable). Miriam finds out about Amabel when Oliver continues to make visits to Amabel and Dolores sees them together. She gets Dolores to give Amabel the sack with no notice. Since Aunt Thisbe has gone on holiday and her FFR (faithful family retainer) is also away and they have not left Amabel a key to the house, this leaves Amabel stranded with virtually no money. The next scenes are full of pathos. Almost too much pathos. Wandering alone with nowhere to go, Amabel washes up in a church, huddling in a pew with the pets. Oliver finds her there, bundles her up and takes her to his elderly aunt, recovering from a stroke. Amabel serves as her companion, makes friends with the aunt’s FFRs and also the aunt herself (who can be peppery, but she is old and ill, so this part rang true for me). There is a cute scene where the aunt sends Amabel to do her Christmas shopping for her, which Amabel greatly enjoys. I would have enjoyed it too- the gifts are things like jigsaw puzzles, apricots in brandy, Stilton cheese, specialty coffee, wine, candied fruits and chocolates. Amabel has to wrap and unwrap the many presents while the old lady oversees operations. Oliver continues his visits, including taking Amabel out to dinner. Love is starting to blossom, but the beautiful and evil Miriam isn’t done yet. She finds a way to pour poison in Amabel’s ear, but the power of the sweet and gentle Araminta over the RBD’s heart and mind cannot be denied.
I liked this one very much. It’s got great similarities (maybe too many) to Betty’s other waif stories but I typically enjoy those so this was just lovely to me. I love the addition of the pets, and Oscar the cat in particular is a character in his own right. The section set in the Shambles is wonderful. It’s been many years since I visited but I could picture it from Betty’s description. (In fact, a relative visited very recently and I delightedly reviewed their photos trying to decide where the shop from this story might be.) Amabel is gentle and sweet but she’s got agency: she ups and offs as soon as she realizes just how awful and dangerous her new stepfather is. She finds herself a job in York because she knows she has to be independent so she won’t become anyone’s burden. She sticks with her pets no matter what. Oliver, the RBD, is also wonderful. He is kind, compassionate and while he doesn’t realize immediately that he’s fallen for Amabel on first sight, his actions speak louder than words. I also love that when he figures out what Miriam has been up to, he tells her off in no uncertain terms. Too often Betty lets the evil OW get away with things so I appreciated that we got to see the actual scene where she gets her comeuppance.
This one is worth a read. 4 stars.
**************************
Original review:
Always and Forever is one of the very last books that Betty Neels wrote. She would have been 90 or 91 at the time of writing, and the feel of the book is 100% Betty. This is not always true of the late canon. And as always with Betty, many of the plot points and tropes could have been taken nearly verbatim from any number of her other books. But that is OK. With Betty, you get so immersed in the details of her world that the repetitive plots become a true pleasure, even a comfort.
The book opens with our heroine Amabel running the family bed and breakfast while her widowed mother is traveling to Canada to visit Amabel’s sister. One of the guests is RBD (Rich British Doctor) Dr. Oliver Fforde. He is interested in Amabel, working on her own in an isolated area and also concerned about her. He finds reasons to go see her a few more times on his own, taking her out for meals and getting to know her. But changes are afoot for Amabel. When Mum returns, she brings a new husband that she collected in Canada and he’s just awful. Not only is he obnoxious, rude and mean, but he razes the orchard out back to put in an ugly greenhouse to supply a market garden, makes plans to use Amabel for slave labor, and threatens to put down the elderly pets. But Amabel hasn’t lost her agency, and using the grocery money out of the tea caddy, all three (Amabel, Cyril the dog and Oscar the cat) abscond to York to stay with her Aunt Thisbe. Meanwhile, Oliver finds himself thinking of Amabel and makes another trip to see her only to find that she is gone. Good, he thinks, she’s safe with her family, I don’t need to worry about her.
Uh-huh. Sure. Within days, he’s cleared his schedule and is on his way to Yorkshire. He spends the day with Amabel, and they firmly cement their friendship. Aunt Thisbe is very kind and warm to Amabel, and all in all, things are looking up.
But Amabel knows she can’t trade on her aunt’s kindness forever. She finds a job in York, a little gift shop in the Shambles (a very popular medieval street filled with shops, restaurants and businesses), and is allowed to live in the back room with Cyril and Oscar. The shop owner Dolores is lazy and not especially kind, but she’s only pushed to outright meanness when influenced by her friend Miriam, who just so happens to be Oliver’s would-be OW. (I know, coincidence and fate are remarkable). Miriam finds out about Amabel when Oliver continues to make visits to Amabel and Dolores sees them together. She gets Dolores to give Amabel the sack with no notice. Since Aunt Thisbe has gone on holiday and her FFR (faithful family retainer) is also away and they have not left Amabel a key to the house, this leaves Amabel stranded with virtually no money. The next scenes are full of pathos. Almost too much pathos. Wandering alone with nowhere to go, Amabel washes up in a church, huddling in a pew with the pets. Oliver finds her there, bundles her up and takes her to his elderly aunt, recovering from a stroke. Amabel serves as her companion, makes friends with the aunt’s FFRs and also the aunt herself (who can be peppery, but she is old and ill, so this part rang true for me). There is a cute scene where the aunt sends Amabel to do her Christmas shopping for her, which Amabel greatly enjoys. I would have enjoyed it too- the gifts are things like jigsaw puzzles, apricots in brandy, Stilton cheese, specialty coffee, wine, candied fruits and chocolates. Amabel has to wrap and unwrap the many presents while the old lady oversees operations. Oliver continues his visits, including taking Amabel out to dinner. Love is starting to blossom, but the beautiful and evil Miriam isn’t done yet. She finds a way to pour poison in Amabel’s ear, but the power of the sweet and gentle Araminta over the RBD’s heart and mind cannot be denied.
I liked this one very much. It’s got great similarities (maybe too many) to Betty’s other waif stories but I typically enjoy those so this was just lovely to me. I love the addition of the pets, and Oscar the cat in particular is a character in his own right. The section set in the Shambles is wonderful. It’s been many years since I visited but I could picture it from Betty’s description. (In fact, a relative visited very recently and I delightedly reviewed their photos trying to decide where the shop from this story might be.) Amabel is gentle and sweet but she’s got agency: she ups and offs as soon as she realizes just how awful and dangerous her new stepfather is. She finds herself a job in York because she knows she has to be independent so she won’t become anyone’s burden. She sticks with her pets no matter what. Oliver, the RBD, is also wonderful. He is kind, compassionate and while he doesn’t realize immediately that he’s fallen for Amabel on first sight, his actions speak louder than words. I also love that when he figures out what Miriam has been up to, he tells her off in no uncertain terms. Too often Betty lets the evil OW get away with things so I appreciated that we got to see the actual scene where she gets her comeuppance.
This one is worth a read. 4 stars.
September 4, 2023
I have mixed feels about this book. While the romance between the MCs is better developed than the other Betty Neels book, I'm at a loss regarding the motivation of the male MC. As mentioned, the books clearly follow a formula and two in a row is too similar.
February 18, 2017
Rolls and brief mention of a Rover
It's a Neels. RBD, mousey heroine. Wicked OW. Lots of animals - often in baskets and on leads. Need I say more?
It's a Neels. RBD, mousey heroine. Wicked OW. Lots of animals - often in baskets and on leads. Need I say more?
July 18, 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
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