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White Weddings #5
Matilda's Wedding
When Matilda's father retires due to ill health, the family's new life in Much Winterlow falls into reduced circumstances. To make ends meet, Matilda applies to be Dr. Henry Lovell's receptionist. She does her best to ignore the instant attraction she feels for him. It wouldn't do to dream of marrying the boss—especially when Henry is already engaged to the haughty Lucilla. But Matilda still thinks she'd suit Henry better…and it looks like he might agree!
141 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2000
40 people are currently reading
209 people want to read
About the author
Betty Neels
564 books418 followersEvelyn Jessy "Betty" Neels was born on September 15, 1910 in Devon to a family with firm roots in the civil service. She said she had a blissfully happy childhood and teenage years.(This stood her in good stead later for the tribulations to come with the Second World War). She was sent away to boarding school, and then went on to train as a nurse, gaining her SRN and SCM, that is, State Registered Nurse and State Certificate of Midwifery.
In 1939 she was called up to the Territorial Army Nursing Service, which later became the Queen Alexandra Reserves, and was sent to France with the Casualty Clearing Station. This comprised eight nursing sisters, including Betty, to 100 men! In other circumstances, she thought that might have been quite thrilling! When France was invaded in 1940, all the nursing sisters managed to escape in the charge of an army major, undertaking a lengthy and terrifying journey to Boulogne in an ambulance. They were incredibly fortunate to be put on the last hospital ship to be leaving the port of Boulogne. But Betty's war didn't end there, for she was posted to Scotland, and then on to Northern Ireland, where she met her Dutch husband. He was a seaman aboard a minesweeper, which was bombed. He survived and was sent to the south of Holland to guard the sluices. However, when they had to abandon their post, they were told to escape if they could, and along with a small number of other men, he marched into Belgium. They stole a ship and managed to get it across the Channel to Dover before being transferred to the Atlantic run on the convoys. Sadly he became ill, and that was when he was transferred to hospital in Northern Ireland, where he met Betty. They eventually married, and were blessed with a daughter. They were posted to London, but were bombed out. As with most of the population, they made the best of things.
When the war finally ended, she and her husband were repatriated to Holland. As his family had believed he had died when his ship went down, this was a very emotional homecoming. The small family lived in Holland for 13 years, and Betty resumed her nursing career there. When they decided to return to England, Betty continued her nursing and when she eventually retired she had reached the position of night superintendent.
Betty Neels began writing almost by accident. She had retired from nursing, but her inquiring mind had no intention of vegetating, and her new career was born when she heard a lady in her local library bemoaning the lack of good romance novels. There was little in Betty's background to suggest that she might eventually become a much-loved novelist.
Her first book, Sister Peters in Amsterdam, was published in 1969, and by dint of often writing four books a year, she eventually completed 134 books. She was always quite firm upon the point that the Dutch doctors who frequently appeared in her stories were *not* based upon her husband, but rather upon an amalgam of several of the doctors she met while nursing in Holland.
To her millions of fans around the world, Betty Neels epitomized romance. She was always amazed and touched that her books were so widely appreciated. She never sought plaudits and remained a very private person, but it made her very happy to know that she brought such pleasure to so many readers, while herself gaining a quiet joy from spinning her stories. It is perhaps a reflection of her upbringing in an earlier time that the men and women who peopled her stories have a kindliness and good manners, coupled to honesty and integrity, that is not always present in our modern world. Her myriad of fans found a warmth and a reassurance of a better world in her stories, along with characters who touched the heart, which is all and more than one could ask of a romance writer. She received a great deal of fan mail, and there was always a comment upon the fascinating places she visited in her stories. Quite often those of her fans fortunate enough to visit Ho
In 1939 she was called up to the Territorial Army Nursing Service, which later became the Queen Alexandra Reserves, and was sent to France with the Casualty Clearing Station. This comprised eight nursing sisters, including Betty, to 100 men! In other circumstances, she thought that might have been quite thrilling! When France was invaded in 1940, all the nursing sisters managed to escape in the charge of an army major, undertaking a lengthy and terrifying journey to Boulogne in an ambulance. They were incredibly fortunate to be put on the last hospital ship to be leaving the port of Boulogne. But Betty's war didn't end there, for she was posted to Scotland, and then on to Northern Ireland, where she met her Dutch husband. He was a seaman aboard a minesweeper, which was bombed. He survived and was sent to the south of Holland to guard the sluices. However, when they had to abandon their post, they were told to escape if they could, and along with a small number of other men, he marched into Belgium. They stole a ship and managed to get it across the Channel to Dover before being transferred to the Atlantic run on the convoys. Sadly he became ill, and that was when he was transferred to hospital in Northern Ireland, where he met Betty. They eventually married, and were blessed with a daughter. They were posted to London, but were bombed out. As with most of the population, they made the best of things.
When the war finally ended, she and her husband were repatriated to Holland. As his family had believed he had died when his ship went down, this was a very emotional homecoming. The small family lived in Holland for 13 years, and Betty resumed her nursing career there. When they decided to return to England, Betty continued her nursing and when she eventually retired she had reached the position of night superintendent.
Betty Neels began writing almost by accident. She had retired from nursing, but her inquiring mind had no intention of vegetating, and her new career was born when she heard a lady in her local library bemoaning the lack of good romance novels. There was little in Betty's background to suggest that she might eventually become a much-loved novelist.
Her first book, Sister Peters in Amsterdam, was published in 1969, and by dint of often writing four books a year, she eventually completed 134 books. She was always quite firm upon the point that the Dutch doctors who frequently appeared in her stories were *not* based upon her husband, but rather upon an amalgam of several of the doctors she met while nursing in Holland.
To her millions of fans around the world, Betty Neels epitomized romance. She was always amazed and touched that her books were so widely appreciated. She never sought plaudits and remained a very private person, but it made her very happy to know that she brought such pleasure to so many readers, while herself gaining a quiet joy from spinning her stories. It is perhaps a reflection of her upbringing in an earlier time that the men and women who peopled her stories have a kindliness and good manners, coupled to honesty and integrity, that is not always present in our modern world. Her myriad of fans found a warmth and a reassurance of a better world in her stories, along with characters who touched the heart, which is all and more than one could ask of a romance writer. She received a great deal of fan mail, and there was always a comment upon the fascinating places she visited in her stories. Quite often those of her fans fortunate enough to visit Ho
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
May 18, 2017
My Betty friends and I have frequently discussed heroine’s mums in Neelsdom, which seem to come in 3 categories: good mums who love their families; mums who love their families but are flighty and impractical and unable to run a household; and nasty, selfish mums who treat their daughters as unpaid servants (i.e., slaves). Mrs. Paige is definitely in the final category. I was actually hoping that she would run off with an Argentinian millionaire get killed in a car crash. Matilda and her father would have coped much better on their own, although to be fair, the Reverend Mr. Paige did truly love his wife.
Matilda, an Araminta, is the daughter of a vicar who has had to retire due to a bad heart. They have been offered a modest home in a small village by an old friend and because it’s all they can afford, Mr. Paige has accepted. Mrs. Paige, however, is decidedly non-accepting of her change in circumstance. When the local GP, Dr. Henry Lovell, advertises for a secretary, Matilda applies; she actually has training in office skills, including the use of a computer!
Anyway, Dr. Lovell isn’t thrilled about her as an employee (she’s too young), but he offers the job anyway since she’s the best of the applicants. Over the next few weeks, not only does he discover that she is a treasure as an employee, but that he is in love with her. He has a quasi-engagement with a Veronica, but we don’t see a lot of her because she loathes the country. When he makes it clear to her that he is never, ever, ever going to live in London, she breaks it off with him.
There is plenty of village drama in this one – her father has another heart attack (but recovers) and the village is smitten with a flu epidemic. Matilda herself finally succumbs to the flu and Henry takes her to his home to be cared for by the FFR and his Aunt Kate. His family adore Matilda.
In the end, Henry arranges for Mr. Paige to be the curator of an ecclesiastical library and museum near Cheltenham (which, although I don’t know my English geography well, I’m sure is a comfortable distance away – Henry is NOT enamoured of his future MIL).
Henry and Matilda get married about a month after Christmas and she actually gets a traditional wedding dress and ceremony. 3 ½ stars.
Matilda, an Araminta, is the daughter of a vicar who has had to retire due to a bad heart. They have been offered a modest home in a small village by an old friend and because it’s all they can afford, Mr. Paige has accepted. Mrs. Paige, however, is decidedly non-accepting of her change in circumstance. When the local GP, Dr. Henry Lovell, advertises for a secretary, Matilda applies; she actually has training in office skills, including the use of a computer!
Anyway, Dr. Lovell isn’t thrilled about her as an employee (she’s too young), but he offers the job anyway since she’s the best of the applicants. Over the next few weeks, not only does he discover that she is a treasure as an employee, but that he is in love with her. He has a quasi-engagement with a Veronica, but we don’t see a lot of her because she loathes the country. When he makes it clear to her that he is never, ever, ever going to live in London, she breaks it off with him.
There is plenty of village drama in this one – her father has another heart attack (but recovers) and the village is smitten with a flu epidemic. Matilda herself finally succumbs to the flu and Henry takes her to his home to be cared for by the FFR and his Aunt Kate. His family adore Matilda.
In the end, Henry arranges for Mr. Paige to be the curator of an ecclesiastical library and museum near Cheltenham (which, although I don’t know my English geography well, I’m sure is a comfortable distance away – Henry is NOT enamoured of his future MIL).
Henry and Matilda get married about a month after Christmas and she actually gets a traditional wedding dress and ceremony. 3 ½ stars.
avoid
January 20, 2018The OW is present as a problem, as an engaged fiancée up until page 277 of a 310 page book.
On page 277 SHE breaks it off because he won’t give her a city life, so if she figured out she’d actually have had much more fun in village politics what’d have happened now we’d never know but hero has no way of claiming he’d have dumped her because what’s his excuse?
Heroine doesn’t even know until page 284 and by this time she is thoroughly disgusted at herself for kissing a taken man.
So no. I don’t see myself reading this or ever admiring or respecting the hero.
#sorrynotsorry
On page 277 SHE breaks it off because he won’t give her a city life, so if she figured out she’d actually have had much more fun in village politics what’d have happened now we’d never know but hero has no way of claiming he’d have dumped her because what’s his excuse?
Heroine doesn’t even know until page 284 and by this time she is thoroughly disgusted at herself for kissing a taken man.
So no. I don’t see myself reading this or ever admiring or respecting the hero.
#sorrynotsorry
May 30, 2021
Matilda’s Wedding has a lot going for it, but I lose patience when Betty takes the martyred heroine thing too far. Betty tries hard to sell it—Matilda’s father has a heart ailment and the heroine is afraid that standing up to her toxic mother—or leaving—will cause him undue stress, maybe kill him, so she’s resolved to put up with her very crappy situation. But it’s too much! And it annoyed me the entire book.
Matilda’s horrible mother is a piece of work. I actually enjoyed how awful she was. She stands out as one of the worst parents in the BN canon, and boy is that saying something—there are some doozies! She’s so OTT awful that I was almost eager to see what she’d say next to the heroine in a “no she didn’t!” way. The ultimate Betty site, The Uncrushable Jersey Dress calls her “Poor Little Me (PLM)” and it’s exactly right. She’s super toxic and manipulative, and the poor heroine clearly sees it but feels obligated to stay home and help her parents since her father’s heart attack and subsequent retirement on a small pension.
Mom’s a profligate spender (and basically a selfish asshole); Daddy (also a selfish asshole, though Betty tries to sell him as gentle and absent minded) doesn’t see it or doesn’t care and sees nothing wrong with letting his daughter shoulder all responsibilities for the household and budget and dealing with her mother while he writes a book (but can’t work even a clerical job because of a heart condition?). I couldn’t let Matilda, as plucky as she tries to be, off the hook either—she’s a huge enabler and doormat for her parents (though not with regard to the hero, to be fair). Even during the HEAs, she tells the hero it will be “difficult” to marry him and leave her parents to their own devices—wtf? I still can’t get past it.
There’s a lot to like otherwise. Betty’s always a good writer, and the usual charm prevails in many ways—the secondary characters are colorful; the descriptions of food, scenery, interiors divine; the romance mostly satisfying. This is one of Betty’s later books too (2000)—how sharp and skillful she still was at 91 years old!
But the romance was overshadowed, I felt, by the heroine’s toxic relationship with her parents, and the hero’s “love” felt more like pity at times (and he becomes yet another Mommy Dearest enabler, which pissed me off—no comeuppance at all for her, although he does manage to get rid of the parents as part of the HEA).
And although I’m mostly inured to how apparently important good looks are in Betty’s world, the constant harping by EVERYONE on how plain the heroine is, including the hero who thinks it half a dozen times at least, annoyed the hell out of me. You’d think she was horribly disfigured based on how many characters mention how plain she is, but no, she has the usual lovely eyes, pleasant (if “unassuming”) features, abundant shiny hair, and a pretty figure. How plain could she possibly be?
The OW drama, too, seemed tacked on. As unpleasant as she was, the hero's girlfriend or fiancee or whatever paled in comparison to Mommy Dearest, so superfluous! And it wasn’t mentioned that the hero was engaged to the OW (it just seemed like they dated) until the OW abruptly broke off the “engagement,” so that seemed to come out of nowhere. The entire OW storyline was contrived. The story didn’t really need her (the horrible parents, the hero's long-held seeming indifference, and the heroine's pride were impediment enough) and doesn’t do her OW justice.
I did like how the hero, who at first barely notices the heroine, becomes intrigued by her sharp tongue and fierce determination not to be an object of pity—especially his—and eventually falls for her. Some good angst, and the limited hero PoV does a good job in showing his gradual transformation from indifferent employer to would-be lover. It was nicely done.
Some things I liked, some things I didn’t, so I’ll land solidly in the middle on this one.
Among the things I learned from looking up references in this book: what barley sugar balusters look like; what driving like Jehu means (Betty has used this expression in at least one other book too); and my favorite, A Frog He Would Go A-Wooing Go!
Betty car porn:
Hero drives a Bentley. Here's what they looked like in 2000:
They still go for a cool 25-50K!
His speed demon elderly Aunt Kate, who "drove with the ease of a nonchalant young man" (and like Jehu), drives an elderly, beautifully maintained Jaguar. Let's say 1975--they're gorgeous (Jay Leno has this one in his collection):
The heroine has no car because, as her mother explains more than once, "there seemed no point in keeping the car just for Matilda's use," so they sold it. (Nevermind that she's the one that has to walk to work and to the shops for groceries. Pffttt!)
Matilda’s horrible mother is a piece of work. I actually enjoyed how awful she was. She stands out as one of the worst parents in the BN canon, and boy is that saying something—there are some doozies! She’s so OTT awful that I was almost eager to see what she’d say next to the heroine in a “no she didn’t!” way. The ultimate Betty site, The Uncrushable Jersey Dress calls her “Poor Little Me (PLM)” and it’s exactly right. She’s super toxic and manipulative, and the poor heroine clearly sees it but feels obligated to stay home and help her parents since her father’s heart attack and subsequent retirement on a small pension.
Mom’s a profligate spender (and basically a selfish asshole); Daddy (also a selfish asshole, though Betty tries to sell him as gentle and absent minded) doesn’t see it or doesn’t care and sees nothing wrong with letting his daughter shoulder all responsibilities for the household and budget and dealing with her mother while he writes a book (but can’t work even a clerical job because of a heart condition?). I couldn’t let Matilda, as plucky as she tries to be, off the hook either—she’s a huge enabler and doormat for her parents (though not with regard to the hero, to be fair). Even during the HEAs, she tells the hero it will be “difficult” to marry him and leave her parents to their own devices—wtf? I still can’t get past it.
There’s a lot to like otherwise. Betty’s always a good writer, and the usual charm prevails in many ways—the secondary characters are colorful; the descriptions of food, scenery, interiors divine; the romance mostly satisfying. This is one of Betty’s later books too (2000)—how sharp and skillful she still was at 91 years old!
But the romance was overshadowed, I felt, by the heroine’s toxic relationship with her parents, and the hero’s “love” felt more like pity at times (and he becomes yet another Mommy Dearest enabler, which pissed me off—no comeuppance at all for her, although he does manage to get rid of the parents as part of the HEA).
And although I’m mostly inured to how apparently important good looks are in Betty’s world, the constant harping by EVERYONE on how plain the heroine is, including the hero who thinks it half a dozen times at least, annoyed the hell out of me. You’d think she was horribly disfigured based on how many characters mention how plain she is, but no, she has the usual lovely eyes, pleasant (if “unassuming”) features, abundant shiny hair, and a pretty figure. How plain could she possibly be?
The OW drama, too, seemed tacked on. As unpleasant as she was, the hero's girlfriend or fiancee or whatever paled in comparison to Mommy Dearest, so superfluous! And it wasn’t mentioned that the hero was engaged to the OW (it just seemed like they dated) until the OW abruptly broke off the “engagement,” so that seemed to come out of nowhere. The entire OW storyline was contrived. The story didn’t really need her (the horrible parents, the hero's long-held seeming indifference, and the heroine's pride were impediment enough) and doesn’t do her OW justice.
I did like how the hero, who at first barely notices the heroine, becomes intrigued by her sharp tongue and fierce determination not to be an object of pity—especially his—and eventually falls for her. Some good angst, and the limited hero PoV does a good job in showing his gradual transformation from indifferent employer to would-be lover. It was nicely done.
Some things I liked, some things I didn’t, so I’ll land solidly in the middle on this one.
Among the things I learned from looking up references in this book: what barley sugar balusters look like; what driving like Jehu means (Betty has used this expression in at least one other book too); and my favorite, A Frog He Would Go A-Wooing Go!
Betty car porn:
Hero drives a Bentley. Here's what they looked like in 2000:
They still go for a cool 25-50K!His speed demon elderly Aunt Kate, who "drove with the ease of a nonchalant young man" (and like Jehu), drives an elderly, beautifully maintained Jaguar. Let's say 1975--they're gorgeous (Jay Leno has this one in his collection):
The heroine has no car because, as her mother explains more than once, "there seemed no point in keeping the car just for Matilda's use," so they sold it. (Nevermind that she's the one that has to walk to work and to the shops for groceries. Pffttt!)
August 1, 2025
Loved it!! This is a new favorite Betty. Matilda is a plain, hard working, giving type with a frail father and a selfish mother. (The mother!!!) Mrs. Paige would have been a big downer in this except she acts as the perfect foil for Matilda. Matilda and her parents move to a new village after her father has a heart attack and has to retire from ministry. They are on a smaller income so Matilda gets a job as secretary for the local GP, Henry Lovell. At first, Matilda is merely that, his secretary, but slowly Henry sees what a good and kind person Matilda is. The love story evolves so beautifully and with a minimum (for Betty) of miscommunication and interference by the OW. The village plays a big role in the story and I love it! So many sweet characters and a village dance that I am longing to go to. Dr Lovell’s aunt is a treat and has a housekeeper called Mrs Chubb! We get a longer happy ending too. Very unusual. There’s a brief but fun Christmas scene towards the end.
April 24, 2017
Betty Neels was in top form in this, one of her last books.Matilda is just great, the Rich British Doctor is nice, but oh so slow to realize what a gem Matilda is. What sets this a notch higher is that Matilda isn't a wimp or a doormat, even with a mother who is totally toxic.
The other woman (Lucilla) is nasty, but not around much and we get the pleasure of watching our RBD, Henry, fail to fall in with her plans. Plus he solves the problem of toxic mom--a real hero! And Henry has a future as a wedding planner!
Great fun all around.
ETA: Re-read 11/15/2016. Actually, my 4th or 5th re-read. Got it out because I was in need of a comfort read and it did the trick one more time. Upping my rating to 5 stars because just thinking about this book brings a smile to my heart.
The other woman (Lucilla) is nasty, but not around much and we get the pleasure of watching our RBD, Henry, fail to fall in with her plans. Plus he solves the problem of toxic mom--a real hero! And Henry has a future as a wedding planner!
Great fun all around.
ETA: Re-read 11/15/2016. Actually, my 4th or 5th re-read. Got it out because I was in need of a comfort read and it did the trick one more time. Upping my rating to 5 stars because just thinking about this book brings a smile to my heart.
September 2, 2025
Not my favorite of Neel's books. It leaned way too hard on the "selfish mother, absent-minded father" trope. And honestly, I don't care how sweet he is, or that he's supposed to take it easy, her father was an irresponsible mess, never paying bills or looking out for Matilda's welfare. But because he's the father Neels still wants us to think of him as a great guy.
However, as frustrating as most of the book was, I liked the sparks of defiance and strength we occasionally saw in Matilda, and the final chapter was lovely. A bit of "revenge of the downtrodden", so that was fun. Still, one chapter doesn't make up for the rest of this dreary story, thus 2 stars.
However, as frustrating as most of the book was, I liked the sparks of defiance and strength we occasionally saw in Matilda, and the final chapter was lovely. A bit of "revenge of the downtrodden", so that was fun. Still, one chapter doesn't make up for the rest of this dreary story, thus 2 stars.
July 7, 2013
Definitely one of BN's better books. I enjoyed the heroine a lot. Kind, generous, yet capable of standing on her own two feet to solve any problem. The Doctor was a little slow on the uptake, but when he finally woke up he really woke up.
October 3, 2010
Actually, this is one of her more active heroines. Matilda seeks a position to bring money into her family as her father has a much reduced circumstances and her mother is a "selfish bitch" (Oh My, not in a Betty Neels book!) who only thinks of her own pleasure.
Our heroine Mathilda is warm, helpful, stands on her own two feet, and still pays her money over to her family so that her mother can indulge in costly visits to friends, leaving daughter and husband to fend for themselves. That "Doctor of a certain age" falls in love with Mathilda, cares for her during the time she falls ill from the virus sweeping the village, and resolves the problem of the retired cleric and scholar, and the grasping mother/wife.
Our heroine Mathilda is warm, helpful, stands on her own two feet, and still pays her money over to her family so that her mother can indulge in costly visits to friends, leaving daughter and husband to fend for themselves. That "Doctor of a certain age" falls in love with Mathilda, cares for her during the time she falls ill from the virus sweeping the village, and resolves the problem of the retired cleric and scholar, and the grasping mother/wife.
July 23, 2013
WHAT IS IT WITH BETTYNEELS AND HER NOVELS' TITLES???! They usually don't relate to the story at all. Matilda didn't get married until all the way at the end.
But I don't really care, because I love Betty Neels. Another wonderful book, and I liked this one better than her others because Matilda actually stands up for herself, I loved Henry too, he wasn't as much of an ass to Matilda as Betty Neels' heroes usually are,
And I loved how it ended!!! It didn't leave me wanting more as her other novels did.
But I don't really care, because I love Betty Neels. Another wonderful book, and I liked this one better than her others because Matilda actually stands up for herself, I loved Henry too, he wasn't as much of an ass to Matilda as Betty Neels' heroes usually are,
And I loved how it ended!!! It didn't leave me wanting more as her other novels did.
August 11, 2013
The mother is awful! It was nice that this one had a large white wedding in it rather than the usual small, quick ceremony.
November 28, 2016
Lovely way to pass a loooong drive - I'd only read this Betty once and as usual, once I start rereading old faves my wonderful fellow Betty fans on GR remind of books I need to revisit!
This one was interesting in that both the heroine's mother AND the evil OW were truly nasty characters, so it was satisfying to see them both get their comeuppance! Henry, the British rich doctor (not Dutch for a change) was a cold fish for much of the book, but Matilda was such a delightful heroine and her interactions with the villagers was so sweet and satisfying I really didn't mind. Fun Christmas-time reread - I forgot that the romantic ending takes place at the holidays, so this was a delightful addition to my end-of-the-year, sappy and delightful Christmas reread list!
This one was interesting in that both the heroine's mother AND the evil OW were truly nasty characters, so it was satisfying to see them both get their comeuppance! Henry, the British rich doctor (not Dutch for a change) was a cold fish for much of the book, but Matilda was such a delightful heroine and her interactions with the villagers was so sweet and satisfying I really didn't mind. Fun Christmas-time reread - I forgot that the romantic ending takes place at the holidays, so this was a delightful addition to my end-of-the-year, sappy and delightful Christmas reread list!
April 3, 2023
This was such a sweet little story and Matilda was such a likeable character.I had a wonderful time reading this book and would recommend it to all.
December 7, 2024
4.5 -- charming. Neels at her best with a besotted doctor, a plain, long-suffering heroine, a negligible OW, and a caricature of an overbearing mother.
July 30, 2021
2000 book. 3.5*
I really dislike Matilda's mother...she behaves more like a useless and selfish stepmother and her father is pretty useless too.
Poor Matilda! I don't quite like tropes that have the hero engaged to another woman when he fell in love with our heroine...no matter how obnoxious the fiancée might be. I'd must prefer he'd made a clean break before starting anything with our heroine!
Aunt Kate, Mrs Chubb and Mrs Inch were such dears. I love seeing how they tried to fatten Matilda with food and cosseting her.
The romance itself was rather weak...but we could clearly see how Henry's feelings for Matilda went from indifference/ mild dislike to love as they worked together.
I really dislike Matilda's mother...she behaves more like a useless and selfish stepmother and her father is pretty useless too.
Poor Matilda! I don't quite like tropes that have the hero engaged to another woman when he fell in love with our heroine...no matter how obnoxious the fiancée might be. I'd must prefer he'd made a clean break before starting anything with our heroine!
Aunt Kate, Mrs Chubb and Mrs Inch were such dears. I love seeing how they tried to fatten Matilda with food and cosseting her.
The romance itself was rather weak...but we could clearly see how Henry's feelings for Matilda went from indifference/ mild dislike to love as they worked together.
May 14, 2018
Descubrí a Betty Heels y me he vuelto una adicta a esta escritora... no sé qué haré cuando se me acaben sus novelas.
Las historias son bien ñoñas, pero creo que por eso me gustan. Se parecen todas entre sí, pero disfruto del romance algo ñoño y pasado de moda.
Me gusta el estilo rosa (pero para nada dulzón), sobrio y recatado de sus romances.
Me leí estas novelas en un lapso de una semana y todas se leen fácil y rápido... la reseña completa aquí:
http://perezosa69.blogspot.cl/2018/04...
Las historias son bien ñoñas, pero creo que por eso me gustan. Se parecen todas entre sí, pero disfruto del romance algo ñoño y pasado de moda.
Me gusta el estilo rosa (pero para nada dulzón), sobrio y recatado de sus romances.
Me leí estas novelas en un lapso de una semana y todas se leen fácil y rápido... la reseña completa aquí:
http://perezosa69.blogspot.cl/2018/04...
January 7, 2009
This sweet and simple romance set in England in the mid 1900's is one of six books that keeps permanent residence on my nightstand as backup 'for sure' goodreads in case I can't find anything else to read at night.
Just because I know you're wondering what the other 5 are:
J.D. Robb - Seduction in Death
Terry Pratchett - Guards, Guards!
Frank Herbert - Dune
Stephen Donaldson - Mirror Of Her Dreams
Dave Kellet - Pure Ducky Goodness
Just because I know you're wondering what the other 5 are:
J.D. Robb - Seduction in Death
Terry Pratchett - Guards, Guards!
Frank Herbert - Dune
Stephen Donaldson - Mirror Of Her Dreams
Dave Kellet - Pure Ducky Goodness
January 25, 2017
Classic
Classic Betty Neels, loved it. She writes during a time when women were still finding there feet in a world that was rapidly changing with a few men still being old fashioned enough to still want the wife and mother. No shame in being an old fashioned woman.
Classic Betty Neels, loved it. She writes during a time when women were still finding there feet in a world that was rapidly changing with a few men still being old fashioned enough to still want the wife and mother. No shame in being an old fashioned woman.
December 28, 2009
The best of betty neels collection.
I love it!
I love it!
April 1, 2011
Sweet and taps into the Cinderella mould beautifully. Great if you want a nice quick wallow in a bygone world.
May 12, 2011
a bit different for Ms. Neels. no mention of the Dutch. otherwise sweet as always.
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July 27, 2011A wonderful book. I was very happy when Henry finally told Matilda he loved her. A bit of a tear-jerk story. Loved it.
February 19, 2012
Betty Neels writes the same book over and over, kinda, but it's a sweet, kind and loving book that fills a tiny cynical section of my heart sometimes...
December 7, 2016
Star Rating: ★★½☆☆
June 5, 2025
I love this one. Matilda has moved to a house in a village with her parents after her father falls ill and has to retire. Matilda gets a job as a receptionist for the local GP. Her mum is a piece of work. She seems to love her husband (he loves her too) but she treats Matilda like she's a despised but necessary servant. Mum is sorry for herself, doesn't do any work (she must be only in her forties or fifties, get a job!) and dreams up ways to spend Matilda's paychecks on new hats, haircuts and inappropriate coffee mornings. Her specialty in life is sucking the soul out of Matilda.
But back to that local GP. Matilda falls in love with him at first sight. Dr. Lovell is cool, reserved, business-like, and has a fiancee who's just as horrible as Matilda's Mum and considerably more outwardly rude. Dr. Lovell is glad Matilda is quiet, plain and efficient. She won't distract him from his work, he believes. But he wasn't counting on Matilda bringing quiet improvements to his office in her no-nonsense, quiet way (she finds a receptacle for wet umbrellas, a potty seat for the toddlers and a few plants to brighten up the place), or that the whole village including his housekeeper love her, or her dedication during a flu epidemic, or her lack of self-pity for having a rotten home-life. I really enjoy that Betty describes how he slowly comes to rely on Matilda and from there, falls in love. And once in love, I adored how protective he became and how determined to make sure Matilda finds her rightful place and is acknowledged for the lovely person she is. Also love that he figured out a good way to get Matilda's toxic mother out of her life in a way that made everyone happy. Maybe Mum didn't get the comeuppance that she so richly deserves but he got rid of her in a way that Matilda herself could accept and be at peace with. Probably less successful is the unnecessary inclusion of Lucilla, the evil fiancee. She's rude to Matilda, but Mum is already making Matilda miserable enough, plus Lucilla's exit from Dr. Lovell's life is more than a little anti-climactic.
But it's not enough to truly mar my enjoyment of this lovely story. This book is one of the very late canon, written when Betty was in her 90s. Unlike some from this period that don't really seem like 100% authentic Betty, this one definitely feels like Betty. And I love it. 5 stars.
But back to that local GP. Matilda falls in love with him at first sight. Dr. Lovell is cool, reserved, business-like, and has a fiancee who's just as horrible as Matilda's Mum and considerably more outwardly rude. Dr. Lovell is glad Matilda is quiet, plain and efficient. She won't distract him from his work, he believes. But he wasn't counting on Matilda bringing quiet improvements to his office in her no-nonsense, quiet way (she finds a receptacle for wet umbrellas, a potty seat for the toddlers and a few plants to brighten up the place), or that the whole village including his housekeeper love her, or her dedication during a flu epidemic, or her lack of self-pity for having a rotten home-life. I really enjoy that Betty describes how he slowly comes to rely on Matilda and from there, falls in love. And once in love, I adored how protective he became and how determined to make sure Matilda finds her rightful place and is acknowledged for the lovely person she is. Also love that he figured out a good way to get Matilda's toxic mother out of her life in a way that made everyone happy. Maybe Mum didn't get the comeuppance that she so richly deserves but he got rid of her in a way that Matilda herself could accept and be at peace with. Probably less successful is the unnecessary inclusion of Lucilla, the evil fiancee. She's rude to Matilda, but Mum is already making Matilda miserable enough, plus Lucilla's exit from Dr. Lovell's life is more than a little anti-climactic.
But it's not enough to truly mar my enjoyment of this lovely story. This book is one of the very late canon, written when Betty was in her 90s. Unlike some from this period that don't really seem like 100% authentic Betty, this one definitely feels like Betty. And I love it. 5 stars.
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October 25, 2025CR. 38%. doc is a rural english GP, wealthy background of course. Matilda is a hardworking plain jane with an incredibly selfish and dissatisfied spendthrift mother and a kindly but neglectful and weak willed ill father with a heart condition who must not be upset and must take it easy. theyve recently.moved to the countryside after her fathers heart attack and the mum hates it there. matilda got a job as the doctors receptionist to help with family bills since her mother spends the father's pension like water and matilda is their skivvy and dogsbody, running herself ragged and having no life of her own. at her job interview, she falls in love with the doc at first sight. he barely notices her, especially as he is seeing a glamourous local woman and everyone says they're on the verge of being engaged. matilda hides her feelings and vows to work hard.
at first the doc barely notices her. the story has been ambling along nicely, with bouts of illness and matilda running back and forth skivvying and a country dance in the run up to xmas. matilda has a bad flu and the other woman is mean to her and the doctor notices and isnt impressed.
we get some of the doctors POV in this book and at 35% ish we see him fall for matilda and make up his mind to marry her, but alas, matilda is hiding her feelings and so he thinks she doesn't love him and that he must be patient until she does...
am afraid at this point any story tension dwindled out for me. I like the H to take longer to fall in love or to fight his feelings for his own personal reasons. plus I think that any new tension introduced will be mostly external things like matildas awful parents being a burden and maybe the other woman playing games... although Betty does often rescue things by throwing a fresh and interesting twist. maybe something will happen to make the doc dislike matilda again? who knows. but for now am gona take a break from reading this and I will continue later...
at first the doc barely notices her. the story has been ambling along nicely, with bouts of illness and matilda running back and forth skivvying and a country dance in the run up to xmas. matilda has a bad flu and the other woman is mean to her and the doctor notices and isnt impressed.
we get some of the doctors POV in this book and at 35% ish we see him fall for matilda and make up his mind to marry her, but alas, matilda is hiding her feelings and so he thinks she doesn't love him and that he must be patient until she does...
am afraid at this point any story tension dwindled out for me. I like the H to take longer to fall in love or to fight his feelings for his own personal reasons. plus I think that any new tension introduced will be mostly external things like matildas awful parents being a burden and maybe the other woman playing games... although Betty does often rescue things by throwing a fresh and interesting twist. maybe something will happen to make the doc dislike matilda again? who knows. but for now am gona take a break from reading this and I will continue later...
January 5, 2019
Con el título de “Un sueño hecho realidad” no hay mucho que pueda agregar a mis 5 estrellas ⭐️ por otra novela más de Betty que me enamoró.lo único que me podrían objetar es que leí una traducción escaneada y corregida,entonces ahí es donde me entraría la duda de cuan fiel literariamente es a la autora Betty Neels...ya me ha pasado de celebrar determinada traducción que no coincidía para nada por lo escrito por Betty😥espero no sea el caso de estos dos entrañables personajes como lo son Matilda Paige y el Dr. Henry Lovell. La chica en cuestión será esta vez secretaria del consultorio del doctor. Él la encontrará de” rasgos insípidos y voz sumisa”.Lo llamativo de esta novela es que nuestra heroína apenas conoce a su jefe ya se enamora de él.claro está que al ser una chica sensata y corriente con algunos complejos de inferioridad,a causa del maltrato de su madre( egoísta y cruel madre),nunca se mostrara enamorada ni mucho menos.La novela esta muy bien desarrollada,sin golpes bajos excepto que Matilda es tan buena, inocente y trabajadora que solo piensa en el bienestar de los demás y llegamos a la pagina 37 y yo lloré...porque es muy conmovedor ver cómo el doctor se da cuenta a quien tiene a su lado.Otro momento conmovedor será cuando la casi novia del doctor llama a la protagonista”trapo viejo”...En esta novela vemos los tópicos propios del canon Betty( madre mala y egoísta ,padre enfermo,gato para ella, perro para él,la prometida bella,interesada y sin corazón,los buenos vecinos y empleados,la tía moderna y buena que ayuda)con la consecuente boda final entre estos dos hermosos personajes.
September 12, 2022
I overall liked this. Yes, it is vintage Betty and of course as a result problematic in many ways. And yes, Henry was a little high-handed at times, but minimally so for a Neelsian hero, and he had home training and was never rude or unkind to the heroine as some other Neelsian heroes can be. And while, Matilda was down-trodden by her manipulative, emotionally-abusive mother and kind of used and taken advantage of by her complicit but kindly father, she also had backbone and strength and a lot of pride and was quite likeable. I enjoyed the build of the professional relationship between Henry and Matilda- this book is of the unrequited love at first sight workplace romance variety except that here, unlike many books by this author, it’s doctor and receptionist rather than doctor-nurse. The supporting characters were delightful and even though this was kind of slow, it was a pleasure to read over a somewhat stressful weekend.
October 8, 2017
Solid entry from TGB. Matilda is a sweetie. Her Father is forced into retirement due to a ❤️ condition. Her horribly selfish Mother chaffs at the restrictions of their altered life. Matilda is kept on a short leash by Horri-Mom and her devotion to her Dad. She gets a job with the village RBD; Henry, who has a rude, conceited fiancée, Lucilla. She promptly falls in love 😍 with Henry and with her gentle manner thaws him and wins over the villagers with her politeness and charm. Equally charmed are Henry’s wonderful Aunt Kate and his retinue of FFRs and ultimately us, the readers.
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August 24, 2020Boring and depressing with a slave driver mother. There was no love between him and her for most of the book. They had more interaction and he showed affection in the last 100 pages. So it felt the story would be nice if I read only the last 100 pages. But she had a wedding dress and a large wedding with guests from the whole village to make up for the bashing band criticisms from her mother was nice.
January 26, 2022
Ah, Betty Neels. This is one of her better books albeit still predictable. But that's why we love Ms. Neels. The predictable happy ending - and I did like the way she ended this story. My favorite part was when Dr. Henry realizes he loves Matilda but has to figure out a way to get along with his horrid future mother-in-law. It was refreshing to read about one of our heroes having thoughts like the rest of us. Dr. Henry was human; not a superhero.
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