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Peter and Paul
It is not fun being the plain one of the family. But being the plain one of twins is a wretched position. That's why parables about grains of mustard seed, which grew up and startled everybody by their magnificence, did Pauline good.
Petronella and Pauline Lane are 17-year-old twins, but not identical. "Peter", kind but utterly self-absorbed, is ravishingly beautiful while "Paul"-practical, sensitive, and loved by all-tends to slip through the cracks. Their father is the local vicar ("so much of a saint that if he wasn't a great dear he'd be a prig"), but malleable in their mother's hands, so that she (with an eye for getting them married) is able to arrange for the girls to work in a London dress shop run by David, son of local aristocracy in the unforgettable form of Lady Bliss. However, David's dishonest, fortune-hunting manageress is anything but pleased by their arrival, especially when Peter becomes the inspiration for David's new designs, and sets about to rid herself of them. Her machinations and their unpredictable results, unfolding amid fascinating details about the workings of a dress shop, make for a funny, sweet, and irresistible concoction.
Peter and Paul, first published in 1940, is the third of twelve charming, page-turning romances published under the pseudonym "Susan Scarlett" by none other than beloved children's author and novelist Noel Streatfeild. Out of print for decades, they were rediscovered by Greyladies Books in the early 2010s, and Dean Street Press and Furrowed Middlebrow are delighted now to make all twelve available to a wider audience.
Petronella and Pauline Lane are 17-year-old twins, but not identical. "Peter", kind but utterly self-absorbed, is ravishingly beautiful while "Paul"-practical, sensitive, and loved by all-tends to slip through the cracks. Their father is the local vicar ("so much of a saint that if he wasn't a great dear he'd be a prig"), but malleable in their mother's hands, so that she (with an eye for getting them married) is able to arrange for the girls to work in a London dress shop run by David, son of local aristocracy in the unforgettable form of Lady Bliss. However, David's dishonest, fortune-hunting manageress is anything but pleased by their arrival, especially when Peter becomes the inspiration for David's new designs, and sets about to rid herself of them. Her machinations and their unpredictable results, unfolding amid fascinating details about the workings of a dress shop, make for a funny, sweet, and irresistible concoction.
Peter and Paul, first published in 1940, is the third of twelve charming, page-turning romances published under the pseudonym "Susan Scarlett" by none other than beloved children's author and novelist Noel Streatfeild. Out of print for decades, they were rediscovered by Greyladies Books in the early 2010s, and Dean Street Press and Furrowed Middlebrow are delighted now to make all twelve available to a wider audience.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1940
8 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Susan Scarlett
13 books37 followersPseudonym used by the English author Noel Streatfeild for publishing her romance novels.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 14, 2023
I enjoyed this very much! Pauline is a thoroughly delightful character, as is her mother Catherine. Petronella is…quite something. And the villainess Moira is quite a bit worse than other Susan Scarlett antagonists. This story is a little more edgy in some ways but it still has a wholesome enjoyment at its heart. The unrequited love didn’t bother me because I just knew it had to end okay.
Two quibbles: 1) Peter and Paul’s strange landlady who always spoke baby talk to Peter. Super weird. 😆 2) The ENDING IS INCOMPLETE! I was so longing for a cathartic scene between David and Pauline where he admits what a ninny he’s been for thinking himself in love with Peter and tells Paul how wonderful she is. Where is my scene, Susan Scarlett?? 😅
Two quibbles: 1) Peter and Paul’s strange landlady who always spoke baby talk to Peter. Super weird. 😆 2) The ENDING IS INCOMPLETE! I was so longing for a cathartic scene between David and Pauline where he admits what a ninny he’s been for thinking himself in love with Peter and tells Paul how wonderful she is. Where is my scene, Susan Scarlett?? 😅
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2022
Fluffy and fast reading, a fairly cute story about 17-year-old twins who go to work at a dress shop. One twin is earth-shatteringly gorgeous (and not very bright) and the other is just an averagely nice-looking girl with a conscience.
Which one will the owner of the shop fall in love with? Which one should he fall in love with? Meanwhile, how will the conniving manageress of the shop jealously try to manipulate everybody so that she can marry the boss? There aren't really any surprises here.
As with the other Susan Scarlett books I've read, this was an amusing little romp, but I wouldn't start with this one if you haven't read any others. It feels more blatant than in some of the other books that these are extremely young girls. Different times? For sure. The idea of being married by 18 (or before?!) wasn't seen as too surprising, I guess, and I tried to bear that in mind, even while modern me winced at some of the interactions.
What I enjoyed about this one was the shop itself and the little community that it represents. The romance in this one was kind of a miss, though.
Oh - and the ending? It just kind of stops... it wasn't properly wrapped up at all. Weird.
Which one will the owner of the shop fall in love with? Which one should he fall in love with? Meanwhile, how will the conniving manageress of the shop jealously try to manipulate everybody so that she can marry the boss? There aren't really any surprises here.
As with the other Susan Scarlett books I've read, this was an amusing little romp, but I wouldn't start with this one if you haven't read any others. It feels more blatant than in some of the other books that these are extremely young girls. Different times? For sure. The idea of being married by 18 (or before?!) wasn't seen as too surprising, I guess, and I tried to bear that in mind, even while modern me winced at some of the interactions.
What I enjoyed about this one was the shop itself and the little community that it represents. The romance in this one was kind of a miss, though.
Oh - and the ending? It just kind of stops... it wasn't properly wrapped up at all. Weird.
July 29, 2025
4.5🌟 The Furrowed Middlebrow version of Sweet Valley High!
Peter and Paul reminded me so much of Jessica and Elizabeth from the Sweet Valley High by Francine Pascal. I used to love reading that YA series when I was young and Susan Scarlett's book absolutely brought back the same "twin vibes" I used to get from these books.
I really enjoyed the alternated settings of the upscale fashion/clothing store (where the twins worked) and the country vicarage (their home), as well as the fascinating characters in each location. The reader is introduced to a moral-minded (and very behind-the-times) vicar, a loving (but frazzled) mother, a jealous (and deviously clever) store manager—plus, lots of employee gossip and unfulfilled Hollywood dreams balanced with the helpful, quiet and caring Paul (Pauline) and slightly clueless (but handsome) fashion designer, David Bliss.
If it wasn't for my frustration over the selfish behavior of Peter (Petronella), I would have given this novel another half star. But, this is a theme that always makes me feel upset and slightly spoils the enjoyment of the story for me. I know that there must necessarily be some sort of conflict in a book like this, but it's one that bothers me a lot. So, even though it was a great story, it's not quite a 5 star read for me.
But, I'm still very excited to read the rest of the Susan Scarlett books! In general, they are a joy to read and I'm always very grateful to Dean Street Press for republishing all of these charming books by Susan Scarlett/Noel Streatfeild!
Many thanks to Gina (@gina.stanyer.books on IG) for buddy reading this book with me!
Peter and Paul reminded me so much of Jessica and Elizabeth from the Sweet Valley High by Francine Pascal. I used to love reading that YA series when I was young and Susan Scarlett's book absolutely brought back the same "twin vibes" I used to get from these books.
I really enjoyed the alternated settings of the upscale fashion/clothing store (where the twins worked) and the country vicarage (their home), as well as the fascinating characters in each location. The reader is introduced to a moral-minded (and very behind-the-times) vicar, a loving (but frazzled) mother, a jealous (and deviously clever) store manager—plus, lots of employee gossip and unfulfilled Hollywood dreams balanced with the helpful, quiet and caring Paul (Pauline) and slightly clueless (but handsome) fashion designer, David Bliss.
If it wasn't for my frustration over the selfish behavior of Peter (Petronella), I would have given this novel another half star. But, this is a theme that always makes me feel upset and slightly spoils the enjoyment of the story for me. I know that there must necessarily be some sort of conflict in a book like this, but it's one that bothers me a lot. So, even though it was a great story, it's not quite a 5 star read for me.
But, I'm still very excited to read the rest of the Susan Scarlett books! In general, they are a joy to read and I'm always very grateful to Dean Street Press for republishing all of these charming books by Susan Scarlett/Noel Streatfeild!
Many thanks to Gina (@gina.stanyer.books on IG) for buddy reading this book with me!
August 9, 2022
I was enjoying this and preparing for a happy ending, when it just randomly ended. Quite upsetting. At least one more chapter is needed, if not two.
February 13, 2022
Pauline and Petronella are the twin daughters of an unworldly country Vicar in a small village. They have led very sheltered lives, and their mother, Catherine, is anxious to get them out into the wider world where they can meet eligible men. Her old friend Lady Bliss persuades her nephew David, a successful dress designer, to give the girls jobs in his smart London shop. Petronella is such a dazzling beauty that David decides to model dresses on her, while the less beautiful Pauline is employed as a general messenger. Pauline enjoys her job because she is very interested in people and their various problems. Petronella has no interest in anything except clothes, hair, and films and film stars (a liking for films is generally a sign of low intelligence in books of the 1940s).
Noel Streatfield does quite a difficult thing in managing to make Pauline both very good and very likeable. But it is Petronella who for me is the star of the book, she is absolutely hilarious. She gets on well with the other models at David’s shop, who share her interests in film stars, clothes and hair. “Now I am glad you’re interested in sensible things like hair. At home they say ‘it looks very nice as it is’ which isn’t an answer at all.”
“What do they talk about?” Asked Eloise.
“You wouldn’t believe how dull.” Petronella explained. “Things like plants in gardens and books.”
When Pauline and Petronella go home for weekends, Petronella has to endure more boring conversation, and when Lady Bliss tells Pauline she has some friends in London she would like her to meet, Petronella hopes she won’t have to go too “She knew just what they’d be like. They’d talk about gardens.’
The trouble is that Petronella is so gorgeous that she creates problems when showing clothes, if she happens to be showing to the mother of a debutante who is not pretty, these mothers dislike the contrast between the radiant Petronella and their plain daughters, it puts them off the clothes she is showing. It is the showroom managers, Miss Edwards, who comes up with a solution:
‘It came to her in an enlightening flash. “Brides!” The mothers of girls already already safely engaged and already at the trousseau stage feared nobody, however good-looking. “But” she added, as a mental reservation “she shan’t come into the showroom if the fiancés are there. That’s asking for trouble.”
Noel Streatfield does quite a difficult thing in managing to make Pauline both very good and very likeable. But it is Petronella who for me is the star of the book, she is absolutely hilarious. She gets on well with the other models at David’s shop, who share her interests in film stars, clothes and hair. “Now I am glad you’re interested in sensible things like hair. At home they say ‘it looks very nice as it is’ which isn’t an answer at all.”
“What do they talk about?” Asked Eloise.
“You wouldn’t believe how dull.” Petronella explained. “Things like plants in gardens and books.”
When Pauline and Petronella go home for weekends, Petronella has to endure more boring conversation, and when Lady Bliss tells Pauline she has some friends in London she would like her to meet, Petronella hopes she won’t have to go too “She knew just what they’d be like. They’d talk about gardens.’
The trouble is that Petronella is so gorgeous that she creates problems when showing clothes, if she happens to be showing to the mother of a debutante who is not pretty, these mothers dislike the contrast between the radiant Petronella and their plain daughters, it puts them off the clothes she is showing. It is the showroom managers, Miss Edwards, who comes up with a solution:
‘It came to her in an enlightening flash. “Brides!” The mothers of girls already already safely engaged and already at the trousseau stage feared nobody, however good-looking. “But” she added, as a mental reservation “she shan’t come into the showroom if the fiancés are there. That’s asking for trouble.”
October 7, 2023
Another lovely book from Noel Streatfeild. The endimg was a bit abrupt but the rest of the story was nice.
August 5, 2023
An extremely selfish (and stupid) main character plus a very abrupt ending made this a less than satisfying reading experience.
2.5 stars
2.5 stars
August 23, 2022
I loved the first 2 Susan Scarlett books I read, but this one unfortunately was not as good. The ending was very abrupt, as though a chapter was missing, and the characters were one-dimensional to the extreme. Still enjoyed the setting of a fancy dress shop in London, similar to the one in Clothes-Pegs.
November 25, 2017
Another enjoyable Susan Scarlett/Noel Steatfeild adventure in mid-century Britain.
Together with Clothes-Pegs, a real peak into the life of fashion models during that time--very little glamour of the type bestowed upon that profession today.
Also fascinating to compare the mores of the time to those of the present. Unlike the present, those in the fashion model profession, like theater actresses, were considered "looser" women--the type to date but not necessarily to marry. In both books, however, we have a young woman so beautiful that she must be a fashion model or this great gift of beauty from God would be wasted.
Some interesting quirks here:
The two sisters in this book, Petronella and Pauline (Peter and Paul) are only seventeen--i.e. still legally only children--and the daughters of a very conservative vicar. Yet we learn that Peter is regularly mauled (aggressively hugged and kissed) every night a date takes her home in a cab. While even plain, shy, deeply honest Paul has regular dates with two older men she has no romantic interest in and one of them is married.
There is also the whole issue of the vicar--he is presented as this noble man, whom everyone, including himself, considers pure and noble and above the common person. Yet looked at from the present day he is disgusting. His crime: He refuses to believe anything other than that women belong in the home--but without even the right to their own homes. Thus he fails to educate his daughters and would have no problem if they never married and stayed their entire lives in his vicarage.
Then there is the wife who is presented as good and loyal and devoted to her husband. And though she finally breaks from him briefly to send the girls to London--for seventeen years, she allows him to keep the girls uneducated!
Finally we have the girls. While Peter is drop dead gorgeous she is so self involved one worries about her children growing up with such a narcissistic parent. And while Paul is a classic heroine for this type of book, that lack of education is bothersome. Why would a man who had been educated through college and had the experience of creating a top level business, want to marry a seventeen year old child who spent her life in a small English village and had barely been taught anything?
Together with Clothes-Pegs, a real peak into the life of fashion models during that time--very little glamour of the type bestowed upon that profession today.
Also fascinating to compare the mores of the time to those of the present. Unlike the present, those in the fashion model profession, like theater actresses, were considered "looser" women--the type to date but not necessarily to marry. In both books, however, we have a young woman so beautiful that she must be a fashion model or this great gift of beauty from God would be wasted.
Some interesting quirks here:
The two sisters in this book, Petronella and Pauline (Peter and Paul) are only seventeen--i.e. still legally only children--and the daughters of a very conservative vicar. Yet we learn that Peter is regularly mauled (aggressively hugged and kissed) every night a date takes her home in a cab. While even plain, shy, deeply honest Paul has regular dates with two older men she has no romantic interest in and one of them is married.
There is also the whole issue of the vicar--he is presented as this noble man, whom everyone, including himself, considers pure and noble and above the common person. Yet looked at from the present day he is disgusting. His crime: He refuses to believe anything other than that women belong in the home--but without even the right to their own homes. Thus he fails to educate his daughters and would have no problem if they never married and stayed their entire lives in his vicarage.
Then there is the wife who is presented as good and loyal and devoted to her husband. And though she finally breaks from him briefly to send the girls to London--for seventeen years, she allows him to keep the girls uneducated!
Finally we have the girls. While Peter is drop dead gorgeous she is so self involved one worries about her children growing up with such a narcissistic parent. And while Paul is a classic heroine for this type of book, that lack of education is bothersome. Why would a man who had been educated through college and had the experience of creating a top level business, want to marry a seventeen year old child who spent her life in a small English village and had barely been taught anything?
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January 20, 2023A cute, fast read that is not a romance by modern definition since we don't get to see whether the main couple got together in the end. There were many puzzling tidbits to this story, mostly related to the depiction of Peter. Like how the twins were raised to do as they were told, and this lead to Peter thinking men had the right to touch her and kiss her. Or how people faulted her being frivolous and naive at 17, when the alternative was to allow herself to be married and closeted away by a jealous possessive husband. It was interesting to see the tension in the author, between criticizing this character and wanting to expose a certain societal hypocrisy. It is indeed Peter's childish frivolity, fueled in turn by society's frivolous adoration, that shields her from losing herself and her freedom.
Paul is a flat but likeable character. Although the ending is poorly written (very abrupt and the story feels unfinished), I thought it probably went as far as good taste allowed. After seeing David mooning over Peter for an entire book, it would be hard to show him making the same love speech to the other sister soon after. We only catch glimpses of his new interest for Paul towards the end and it seem like they may end up together, but it is entirely up to the reader's imagination.
Paul is a flat but likeable character. Although the ending is poorly written (very abrupt and the story feels unfinished), I thought it probably went as far as good taste allowed. After seeing David mooning over Peter for an entire book, it would be hard to show him making the same love speech to the other sister soon after. We only catch glimpses of his new interest for Paul towards the end and it seem like they may end up together, but it is entirely up to the reader's imagination.
October 4, 2025
It says in the prologue that the author wrote this romance to provide a light and happy reading at a time of darkness (1940, WWII). Fortunately, I'm not living through war or hardship, but I still find this book charming pure escapism. I liked that it departs slightly from the previous two books by this author (which were really similar), even if it shares some characteristics, such as the innocent and humble heroine, the more experienced rich and handsome hero, the spiteful older and worly woman... the ending felt a bit rushed (another final chapter would have been appreciated), but other than that I enjoyed the story very much.
By the way, it's not a historical romance per se, but since it was written in 1940, it does provide a historical feeling and takes the reader to a different time.
By the way, it's not a historical romance per se, but since it was written in 1940, it does provide a historical feeling and takes the reader to a different time.
April 4, 2025
2.5 which could have been higher except for the stupid, anticlimactic ending in which the authoress does her heroine out of a satisfying, rounded resolution scene. For all her much-mentioned sympathy toward Pauline as the plain twin, she seems to take a fiendish delight in focussing the whole book on her pretty sister. The reader trudges through pages and pages and pages of the pretty one's misadventures only to be handed a truncated, rushed final chapter that made me want to throw my ebook reader across the room. "Scarlett" (Streatfield)'s output is notoriously uneven but this took the proverbial digestive.
October 1, 2025
Peter and Paul are twins named Petronella and Pauline. Their father is a vicar. One of the girls is gorgeous, and one is plain in comparison. One of them is caring, thoughtful, and compassionate, while the other is shallow and self-centered. They go to work for a designer and his store. His manager(ess) tries all manner of ploys to get rid of them, because of her ambitions. Oh my! This book was written in the 1940s and is a great reflection of the thinking of the times. It was an easy and enjoyable read, but I wish there was another book about Paul and Mr. Bliss.
May 7, 2025
Hated this one. I spent the whole book wishing the father had used his eyes (to see that one of his daughters is utterly self-centered and a moron to boot) and his spine (to prevent said daughter from being preyed upon by dozens of unscrupulous men, the villainess, and [post-book] Hollywood).
Women DO belong at home. Especially stupid ones who only care about how they look and will do anything for anyone who calls them pretty 🙄
Women DO belong at home. Especially stupid ones who only care about how they look and will do anything for anyone who calls them pretty 🙄
January 16, 2025
Why do Women Buy Clothes Models Wear?
Examining this question, this tale follows twins twins entering the fashion house and their very different experiences. The plain and the beauty are utterly unlike each other and so take diverse paths in fashion. Interesting novel of post War London. Will suit older readers.
Examining this question, this tale follows twins twins entering the fashion house and their very different experiences. The plain and the beauty are utterly unlike each other and so take diverse paths in fashion. Interesting novel of post War London. Will suit older readers.
March 31, 2023
Plainshaming is rife, marriage is the only option, keep them dumb and hope they are pretty. Allow men unfettered access to grope them.
The world was a different place for women in the past.
The world was a different place for women in the past.
Want to read
April 11, 2023I learned of this book via this post: https://ellethinks.wordpress.com/2023...
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April 17, 2023Read for the #1940club; full review here: https://ellethinks.wordpress.com/2023...
June 4, 2023
Utterly delightful in places, really weird in others - particularly the lack of a proper resolution!
June 17, 2023
This does end abruptly! But we all know what is going to happen. It’s a charming story of a good twin and an empty headed beautiful twin. Very atmospheric.
September 19, 2023
Ienjoyed the book very much. Yes, the ending was abrupt, but unless you need all your 'i's" dotted and "t's" crossed the romance between David and the twin was obvious.
July 10, 2023
My second Susan Scarlett, and I enjoyed this one as well. Yes, the ending is abrupt, and you have to write the missing chapter in your head, but it was fun to watch the adventures of the parson's daughters Petronilla and Pauline in a London dressmaking shop. From having read Scarlett's SUMMER PUDDING I already begin to see patterns (machinating older woman, one "good" girl and one "shallow" one), but it's nowhere near the Betty Neels level (whom I also enjoy but have to spread out, after too many broad-shouldered, terse Dutch doctors and plain Janes with lovely eyes in a row).
I will absolutely seek out more of Susan Scarlett's (Noel Streatfeild's) books!
I will absolutely seek out more of Susan Scarlett's (Noel Streatfeild's) books!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews