The Gemel Ring

by Betty Neels

Sister Charity Dawson loved her job but there was one problem. Like the other humble members of St. Simon's nursing staff, she had to put up with the arrogant Dr. Everard van Tijlen. When Charity apparently discovered that the distinguished doctor's exorbitant fees funded a playboy lifestyle, she hit the roof. Everard might well have an engaging boyish smile, but he needed to be taken down a peg or two. And Charity knew just how to do it.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Harlequin Romance, Clean Romance, Contemporary Romance, Ebooks, British Literature

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Evelyn 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

Reviews

[Pamela Shropshire · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I think of my favorite Betty Neels novels, this one seldom comes to mind. Which is really inaccurate and a shame, because there are many really special, unique details and some lovely moments in this book.

First of all, the RDD is not the typical large, placid, easy-going, lint-haired fellow. Nope, Everard has dark hair, grey at the temples, and although Charity finds that he is a good doctor to work for, he is not at all easy-going. He is snarky, forceful and has a nasty temper. Oh, and he drives a Lamborghini (although his second car is the more stately Daimler Sovereign).

Charity is an Olivia: tall and well-built with auburn hair and green eyes. She has a loving family, and in fact, first meets Everard briefly when she is on holiday with them in Holland.

There is an American couple in the book (the husband is Charity's patient) that TGB treats quite sympathetically. Usually, Americans in her books are limited to tycoons who sweep away the inconvenient Veronicas. In this one, however, the Boekercheks are a nice couple, albeit the wife is portrayed as rather shallow and vain and they both persistently call Charity "honey." LOL

Everard's grandmother is also one of the important characters in this book in that she does her best to get Everard and Charity together, finally resorting to feigning illness to get Charity back from England. She is sarcastic about Everard's other women and loves Charity, because Charity is that old-fashioned thing, a lady.

There is some delightfully snappy dialogue between Everard and Charity. There are sudden forceful kisses. There is pitiful resistance on Everard's part until we actually see when he has his Dawning Realisation.

This one deserves the 5 star rating. It's really lovely.

[Grrrrace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Should I be concerned about my Betty Neels obsession? I have now lost count of the number of back-to-back BN books I've read (and have not nearly begun to review here on GR). I can't seem to get enough, and when I try to read other vintage authors, even usual faves, they just don't satisfy. Which is really odd, considering how clean and tame and anachronistic BN's novels are! Oh well, I'm going with it--whatever gets you through the pandemic, it's alright, it's alright...

What a wonderful and largely unsung BN novel this one was, with a fiesty, pretty heroine (no plain-Jane mouse here!), the usual (but in some ways not) hot-and-cold RDD, a matchmaking granny, and interesting secondary characters. Bonus: another sighting of Abby and Dominic from Saturday's Child--one of my very favorite Neels couples and apparently a fave of The Great Betty's as well, given how often they seem to pop up in other books! Max and Sophy from Betty's 3rd book (Visiting Consultant, among other titles), get a shoutout too.

Nurse heroine Charity meets surgeon/hero Everard on her way back from a family vacation, when a man passes out in his car while on a ferry. The hero immediately gets the heroine's hackles up by mocking her accent when she speaks German, but afterward she can't forget the handsome Dutch giant, to the point where she's not at all bothered when her almost-fiance meets another girl and the possibility of marriage between them dissolves (she's already come to that conclusion after her strong reaction to the chance-met stranger).

The man they treated is attached to the American consulate in Holland, and when he suffers a relapse, insists on being treated by the doctor and nurse who helped him on the ferry. Charity, annoyed at being summarily told she will go and nurse him privately, initially refuses, but agrees when a contrite representative of the consulate comes to apologize. She is secretly excited to meet Everard, who will be operating, again, but they continue to clash and each thinks the other feels only dislike. They are both extremely hardworking and conscientious and work well together, but Everard continues to either goad her or treat her remotely, and Charity, recognizing she is very attracted to him, is appalled when she finds out how much his fees are and thinks he is something of a playboy, charging outrageous fees to support his fast cars and lifestyle.

Her patient recovers well after his surgery and after staying with the comically drawn (lots of "honeys" and "I declares") but for once likable American couple for a while and seeing more of Everard, Charity returns to England, finding that she can't stop thinking about him. To her surprise, she realizes that she has fallen in love with him, but that he certainly had shown no sign of thinking anything much of her, and resolves to forget him. It's not that easy, though, and she ends up deciding to leave her job and take a break at home, and then figure out what she'll do next.

She spends a few days at home, rather unhappy, and to her surprise and delight, Everard shows up. But any feelings of happiness are soon squashed when he tells her he's come because her nursing skills are needed again--he has to reoperate on the American patient, who is insisting on Charity as his nurse. She agrees to return with him, and even drives his Lamborghini part of the way back--pretty rare for a BN heroine to drive the hero's badass car! (She has a racy little MG herself.)

He alternates between mocking her to get rise out of her and withdrawing into cool and remote behavior, similar to many a BN RDD. We get our first kiss shortly after their return but he's soon all business again. Between them, they treat the American and while it's touch and go for a while, Charity's careful nursing restores him to health. In the meantime, she wanders upon Everard's fab old canal-side house, stuffed with family treasures, old retainers, and his fiesty granny, and stays for tea. The granny immediately takes to our "peppery" (like her Colonel father) heroine. Being shown the family treasures, Charity's interest is caught by a very old ring: "two rings skillfully locked together in a design of clasped hands over a heart." It's a gemel ring, which the eldest sons of the family give to their intended brides as a sign of love and commitment. Everard doesn't say much about it though (but later she finds out more about it from granny).

Her patient has a setback, resulting in the need for more intensive nursing. A fire breaks out at the hospital, and Charity decides that she will stay with her gravely ill patient, after determining that she's probably safe to do so. But it spreads, and when Everard finds her there with the patient, he's furious and insists she leave and send him a couple of men to help move the patient. Reluctantly she goes, and afterwards steels herself for a lecture from him, but he tells her she did right not to panic and when she asks why he was so furious, he tells her he "spoke in an unguarded moment." She wonders what he's guarding against, because she thinks he clearly doesn't like her.

She stays a while longer, while her patient recovers, and though she sees Everard a few times, he is remote and clearly not interested that she'll be leaving soon. One day, while on a walk, she comes to the aid of an old woman who has fallen. When she helps the old lady back to the retirement home, she's shocked to meet Everard there. He tells her he's the consultant there, but the directrice reveals that he is the benefactor for the retirement home and funds it personally, as well as providing gratis medical services. Charity realizes she's misjudged him--his exorbitant fees are partly to provide funding for the home. She pretends that she already knew about the home but feels badly later, fearing that if he finds out that Juffrouw Blom, the directrice, told her about it, he might be angry and fire the kind lady.

She makes an appointment to see him and explain. He listens and tells her not to worry about it, and dismisses her apology for misjudging him, but he's cool and remote and she hides that she's upset by his coolness toward her. He brings her back for tea with his grandmother, overriding her quick refusal by pointing out his granny is old and should be indulged. The butler is patently happy to see her again, as is granny, but Everard is still cool and leaves them to go do some work.

Afterward, he drives her back and makes the really awful speech that several BN heroes have made to their heroines: she's a splendid nurse and he appreciates all her hard work and dedication, but they won't meet again. He's attracted to her but he intends to forget her. He plans to find himself a wife who will not disturb his way of life or interfere with his work, and clearly that paragon will not be her, so it will be goodbye between them.

Faced with this awful rejection, our smitten heroine musters her considerable pride and makes a nice, bright little speech, saying goodbye and wishing him success, even though her heart is breaking. He, perversely, is coldly angry, telling her he's had no peace since he met her, and kisses her hard. She is furious and hurt, telling him that she hopes he'll find some doormat to marry with whom he'll have "dozens of simply horrid little doormats who have to wear glasses and won't know how to be naughty." She flees, hearing him give a shout of laughter. (Abby and Dominic had a similar scene in SC that was angstier--gunshy as Everard is, Dominic was worse.)

She's set to leave for home when the American's wife, Mrs. Boekerchek, asks her if she'll stay to nurse a friend. (An aside: many characters, including Charity, find the American couple's name to be hilarious for some reason, which is funny given some of the names of BN's RDDs!) It turns out to be more of a nursemaid position than a nursing one, but it keeps Charity in Holland for a little more time, where she sees Evarard with a "pretty in an insipid way" girl she thinks of as "the doormat" a couple of times. (She is nice enough to feel bad about thinking of the girl that way.) She is leaving soon, but the Boekercheks insist on her staying with them a couple of days before she goes so she can have some time to relax and enjoy a bit of sightseeing and shopping before she goes. She does some effective retail therapy, buying a gorgeous dress to wear to the opera.

A good thing, too, because she sees Everard sitting in a nearby box at the opera with the doormat (she borrows Mrs. B's opera glasses to take a closer look, hee). He sees her after the second act and comes over and pulls her out to talk to her. He is mocking and "silky" as he asks her what she thinks of his "doormat" (she apologizes profusely for ever having called her that), and Charity can't stop herself from asking if he's given the other girl the gemel ring. He'll only give that to the woman he loves, he tells her, and when she protests that surely he must love the other girl if he's marrying her, asks her mockingly how he could ever now marry her, faced with the certainty of "fathering spectacled children who do not know how to be naughty." Charity is mortified to have her words tossed back at her and feels worse when he tells her again, with obvious displeasure, that she has disrupted his life and his future and destroyed his peace of mind. She promises to do whatever she can to put things right and reminds him she is leaving the next day and slips away.

She is leaving the next night, but is heartened when he calls her the next morning and tells her not to leave; he must see her. She allows herself "a delicious flight of fancy, supposing he had discovered that he loved her--it seemed unlikely, but just supposing...." She moons around in a happy fantasy for the hour or so it takes for him to get there, only to be brought coldly and harshly back to reality when he tells her he needs her to stay as nurse at his retirement home temporarily, because Juffrauw Blom, who runs it, has severely sprained an ankle. She tells him quite coldly that she is surprised he would ask her after their talk the night before, but he reminds her "silkily" that she said she would do anything to put things right, so she reluctantly agrees to stay. He kisses her "with controlled savagery" again before he leaves and exclaims "Now why on earth should I have done that?" Hee. Charity is knocked for six--"She had never been kissed like that before, and it had knocked the sense out of her head. Probably, she thought unhappily, that was why he had done it."

She gets on really well with Juffrauw Blom and takes over the supervision and nursing work at the home quite well. Appalled by the "white tent" that Juffrauw Blom wears to bed, she talks the good lady into letting her get her some pretty nightwear, because Charity is a sweetheart and genuinely likes most people. It's a very funny and sweet touch; nicely done, Betty. She sees Everard once or twice, but he's either remote or mocking, and she particularly doesn't appreciate it when she makes eggs and toast for him when she realizes he hasn't eaten for much of a busy day and he taunts her that maybe he should marry her, when clearly he has no such desire. They clash again, and she asks him why, if he dislikes her so much, should he come "tearing along" to see her and find some reason for her to stay every time she is on the verge of going home. She doesn't understand the look in his eyes at hearing that, as he admits that he does. Again, shades of Saturday's Child in the hero finding reason to keep the heroine around.

She sees him a few more times--he takes her to tea with his grandmother again (and she secretly admits to granny that, yes, she is in love with him but it's quite hopeless). He also takes her on her day off to meet Abigail and Dominic, who are cooing over their recent first-born. She hits it off with Abigail and is envious of the obvious love between that couple. We see Bolly again briefly too, yay!

Another tea with granny, and she realizes the gemel ring is no longer in the case. She is heartsick, thinking that he is planning to propose to the doormat, but hides it. She sees him again when an old man at the home dies and they ease his last minutes and comfort his wife, and Everard tells her that she is "good and kind and gentle, as well as being clever," and very beautiful too, and kisses her again. But the next day, without much sleep and in emotional turmoil, she is snappish and they end up quarreling again--she accuses him of giving the doormat the ring and caring nothing for herself and tells him she wants to go home, and he becomes cool and distant in his own anger and she tells him she doesn't want to see him again. "That settles the question," he says, and leaves, and she can't think of anything to say to stop him. She hopes he'll come back but he doesn't, and she goes home a couple of days later without seeing him again.

Home a day, and she gets another urgent request to return--this time from Everard's butler, calling on behalf on Ev's grandmother, who is feeling unwell but doesn't want to bother Everard, who is away at a conference in Vienna. Charity ping-pongs back to Holland, not wanting to refuse the old lady and reassured that Everard is away and that she can be gone before he returns. The wily old lady is not really ill, but soft-hearted Charity agrees to stay a few days since Everard is away. But it's a setup--granny, clock-watching, sends her down to his study to get her reading glasses, telling her to unlock a certain drawer in his desk for them, and as she's doing so, Everard walks in. He realizes immediately they've been set up. But he's happy for it--he was planning to go get her, having finally admitted to himself that he was in love with her. He grabs her and kisses her and "after the faintest of protests, she kissed him back." Fate would have brought them back together, he tells her, but granny anticipated fate, being old and impatient. He had taken the gemel ring from the case with the idea that he would give it to her, but when she was so fierce about leaving, let her go, knowing he would follow her because he wouldn't be able to help himself... Aaand HEA, and a quite nice one too! Sigh!

Car porn in this one:

Hero drives a Lamborghini Espada:

and a Daimler Sovereign:

Heroine drives an MG Midget: and also gets to drive the hero's Lambo! ;-)

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the Neelses of sheer delight. In what I've come to realize is a typical Neels opening, hero and heroine meet thanks to an accident, in this case, a car pile-up entering a ferry and a sick passenger holding everyone up. Charity and Everard see to his well-being and things transpire to bring them together again and again. Charity and Everard are Pride and Prejudice characters: she is judgy-judgy about Everard's ways and he remains aloof and in denial of his feelings. But her discovery of his seekret love for the elderly and the homes he runs for them proves his worth and warmth and a deliciously conniving grandmother, HIS!, disavails him of his guarded heart. We never learn why Everard is so cautious and the Other Woman is an indistinct figure. But in the novel's most wonderful moment, Charity laces into Everard with a wish that he marry the "doormat" and have many "bespectacled children", none too bright either. She rages and he gets smoother and calmer. It ends with a sigh-worthy HEA, sadly not involving kitchen utensils.

[Fiona Fog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Betty Neels delivers a quality read effortlessly and always leaves a reader with a smile. Her old school leads are charming, with a hint of Alpha in them. Nothing like the book boyfriends you read today, Bettys stories are filled to brim with details. Engaging stories and wonderful characters. It’s a yes from me.

[Bookworman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful romance!

[Pooja Peravali · Rating 4 out of 5]

My fist Betty Neels, and an engaging read with a determined heroine, an understated but swoon-worthy hero, and a lot of medical work.

[Tonya Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charity Dawson might like her nursing career, but Dr. Everard can Tijlen seems to always need her to nurse someone for him. Everard finds charity to be a distraction. A pretty, intelligent, but irritating distraction. He fights to push her away, at the same time, keeping her close.

A very lovely story.

[Laur Laur · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hero was a bit of a jerk, not sure what drew her to him.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 Stars ~ Returning to England from holidays via Holland, Charity's family is detained while boarding their vehicle on the ferry. To ease her father's exasperation, Charity decides to go see what's the problem and finds a crowd of people circling a car where an older gentleman is slumped over his steering wheel. Announcing that she is a nurse, she begins to check the man over. Finding no obvious problems, she yells out for someone to find a doctor. Very quickly a tall, handsome man jumps into the other side of the car and takes over. The man has mysteriously fainted, and when he comes around he's convinced that Charity has been his good luck charm, and insists on knowing where she works.

When she returns to her London hospital, she's surprised to be told she's been called to work in Holland. The gentleman she helped is an American diplomat and has requested she be his private nurse while he has surgery for a complicated illness. When she arrives, Charity is surprised to find that the doctor from the ferry happens to be her patient's surgeon. Charity had never forgotten him, remembering how rude he'd seemed. Everard is all business, and in a cool manner explains to her what is expected of her. Charity is a good nurse; proving to be smart, resourceful, and generous of heart. When Charity learns the exorbitant fee Everard charged her patient, she accuses him of being frivolous with his fast cars and beautiful women. Everard isn't easily offended but he acknowledges that Charity dislikes him and he steers clear.

When Charity returns to England, she finds her job in London dissatisfying and she decides it's time to move on and she gives her notice. She stays with her family while she decides what to do, and this is where Everard finds her. Seems their patient has had a relapse and is asking for her to return to be his private nurse. With no reason to refuse, Charity goes. On her off duty she wanders about town and finds herself outside a beautiful home that turns out to belong to Everard. He invites her in to have tea and she meets his grandmother. Allowed to look about the beautiful sitting room she spies a tiny red box in the glass display cabinet, and ask Everard what's in it. He tells her it holds a gemel ring, but doesn't elaborate. Later his grandmother tells her it's the family betrothal ring, and that Everard will not take it from the cabinet until he decides to marry. Charity assumes that one day he may give the ring to the pretty blonde she's often seen him with.

With her patient recovering once more, Charity is about to leave Holland when she's asked to help another American family for a few weeks. Completing that case, she returns to the diplomat's home to have a few days holiday before going home. She takes a day trip to see the sites and wanders off into the lived in areas, coming across an elderly couple. The woman has fallen and gashed her head, so Charity and the elderly husband take her into what appears to be a nursing home and day clinic. To Charity surprise she's greeted by Everard. She learns from Everard's staff that he runs the clinic and nursing home with his own money, helping many elderly couples live a more comfortable life and that he keeps this a secret.

When Charity bids him a final farewell, and promises to keep his secret about the home, he tells her that he is indeed a selfish man. He admits that though he has been attracted to her right from the moment he met her, he has refused to let her disturb him too much and that when he marries he will look for a suitable wife to run his home and have his children, but that his career will always be more important. And to make his point, he kisses her very hard, declaring, "there now maybe I can get you out of my system!" Charity shaking with rage and misery tells him, "I hope you will find some girl to be your doormat. Professor, someone who can't say go to a goose and who will always agree with you and tell you how splendid you are and have dozens of simply horrid little doormats who have to wear glasses and won't know how to be naughty..."

Again, just as Charity is about to return to England, Everard appears in an urgent need. The woman who runs his nursing home and clinic has fallen and injured her ankle, and he asks Charity to come and take her place until she's back on her feet. And on an off afternoon she visits his grandmother to wish her a final goodbye, and she notices that the red velvet box that holds the gemel ring is no longer in the display cabinet.

This is now one of my favourite stories by Betty Neels. Neither Charity or Everard fall in love right away but both are deeply attracted. Unlike her normally calm demeanor, Charity finds herself quick to be riled whenever Everard attempts to talk to her. Everard doesn't hide the fact that he likes pretty women and enjoys taking them out. Charity disturbs his routine and he either treats her teasingly or remotely. Charity is the first to fall in love, and successfully hides it except from his grandmother who plays the clever matchmaker. Everard fights his growing feelings all the way, but finds Charity's little barbs are sinking in. However, it's not until she points out "Each time I pack to go home, you come along with some--some reason why I can't go." that he wakes up. This was a real pleasure to read. and I'm sure I'll enjoy reading it again and again. It was also lovely to be reaquainted with Dominic and Abigail from an earlier book.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to warn you that even if you are a rabid fan of Betty, if you are older, this book might try your patience! There are many and I mean many! References to old people, elderly people, very old people and I think that means everyone over 60. If you are over 80 you are likely to die any moment.
This couple the doctor and nurse, are the most obtuse pairing Betty had come up with yet. I did enjoy the large Ms Blum though, and her new non-tent nightgown.

[Fiona Marsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charity Dawson was a disturbing influence in Everard van Tijlen's life from the moment they met. Yet somehow she seemed to be always around, nursing his patients and even his family.

At first she doesn't like this arrogant Dutch doctor very much and thinks him a playboy spending his exhorbitant fees on fast cars and loose women...so to speak. Of course as time goes on she finds out so much more about him. She meets his grandmother and learns about the Gemel Ring.

The Gemel Ring is a family heirloom that is given to the chosen bride of the van Tijlen family and as long as it remains in the cabinet, Charity has hope that perhaps Everard might one day give it to her. Yes all that animosity was hiding deeper feelings.

Everard is very slow in the uptake, not quite realising why he keeps making opportunities for Charity to stay in Holland. There is the standard Other Woman, a blonde Everard takes out, but he is fairly clear that he takes Charity's dark predictions about his future should he marry the blonde very seriously. But in the end it all works out of course.

[Livia · Rating 2 out of 5]

As I may have mentioned in other book reviews for this author. She's my favorite and I don't often find disfavor with her stories, however The Gemel Ring is an exception. I disliked the story premise and the hero.

The heroine, Sister Charity Dawson, is a British nurse on vacation with her family in Holland when she comes to the aid of an ailing American Diplomat. Joining her in her effort is the very attractive Everard van Tijlen, a prominent medical doctor, that appears to her to be an extravagant Lamborghini driving playboy. The two get off on the wrong foot immediately and it only gets worse as the two partner to take care of the American through two very serious surgeries.

The hero, in my opinion, is just not a redeemable character and this reader never saw him as lovable. I so looked forward to reading this story because it has been in my TBR pile for a while. It just did not deliver. Not even the myth of the "Gemel Ring" itself made a difference. This one will reside in my take it or leave it pile.

[Susan in NC · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - I read this years ago but didn't remember much about it; Charity is one of Betty's good-looking heroines and a bit too much of a drama queen for my taste - I prefer her more laid-back heroines with a bit of dry British humor to match their stiff upper lip...Everard is the typical handsome, rich Dutch doctor and there is a bit more romantic passion and spark between the two, which was a nice touch, made them seem more human. Took forever for our hero to come around and realize he was in love, and Charity was making herself miserable, which got a little old, but all comes right in the end - fun, fluffy, satisfying read for a lazy Sunday!

[Teri-K · Rating 2 out of 5]

To say that nothing much happened in this book would really be to summarize all the novels I've read by this author. lol However,it's true, nothing much happens here. I even managed to finish reading it without remembering an hour later that I'd finished.

I think the problem was that the heroine just floats along in life without making any decisions about anything and the hero truly doesn't realize he loves her till the last minute, so there's no conflict or driving force, just some people doing some doctor/nurse stuff. Until they realize they love each other and the story runs out. So, though the characters are likable enough, there just wasn't anything special about this book.

[Rongbu]

The story began the way I liked it. But he refused to acknowledge his feelings for her and did not woo her at all made it quite tiresome to see her miserable because she loved him. The book ended with grandma pretended to be ill to trick her back to holland that gave him the chance to confess. He did almost nothing!

[Nell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I enjoyed the nursing and medical details which took me back to my own training and the love story was wonderful. I cried quite happily at some of the most moving parts.

[Karen]

My Mom is reading this and it was not in the system. I've added it for her.

[Barbara Van Zandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I''ve been a fan of Betty Neels for over 30 yrs anything she writes is fantastic and I read all of her books. over and over again

[whimsicalmeerkat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insulting to both thin girls and people who wear glasses. Same plot as all her others. I have no excuses.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

The typical Betty Neels. I like how forthright the heroine is, but wouldn't a nurse be able to not be suckered in?

[Katharine Holden · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ridiculously hostile and rude hero.

[SK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis (could be spoilers):
Yes, this book is a typical Neels in that the female lead, is a nurse. Charity Dawson is the head nurse of Men’s Surgical at St. Simon’s Hospital. The story opens with her and her family on their way home to England after their Holland vacation. But their progress comes to a halt near the ferry crossing at the River Schelde, with a huge impatient queue of backed up cars. Charity’s father, retired Lieutenant-Colonel Dawson, known for his peppery disposition was not happy. Charity in a move to keep his blood pressure down, offers to go see what the holdup is. Of course, Charity is tall, well-built, has red-brown hair, an attractive face, and a beautiful pair of green eyes and in her case, considered brainy, which she found to be both a blessing as well as a curse. She finds a man, lying back in his driver’s seat with the police bending over him. She offers her help. She also suggests they look for a doctor. It is here in the queue that Charity meets the male lead, a Dutch Doctor. Dr. Everard van Tijlen has very large, grey eyes, a brisk manner that she terms arrogant. The sick man is Arthur C. Boekerchek, an American working at The Hague and attached to the Trades Mission. Mr. Boekerchek and his wife are key supportive characters.
Back at St. Simon’s, Charity is called to the office and told she’s been requested to nurse a member of the trade delegation in The Hague, of course it is Mr. Arthur C. Boekerchek! Miss Evans is rather snarky about this special request and Charity is put out that they did not approach her directly and immediately decides to refuse the request. She shortly gets a special visitor to her ward, who apologizes for the misunderstanding in the request for her services. She is apprised of the urgency of the situation. Mr. Boekercheck has a rare and serious condition. He’s specifically requested her to nurse him; he sees her as his “good luck” because of her help at the ferry. Charity is off to nurse Mr. Boekercheck, where she is surprised to find that Everard is the surgeon.
Charity nurses Mr. B through two surgeries and a couple of setbacks. The Boekercheck’s love Charity and let her stay at their home for R & R in between each private nursing job she takes in Holland. Mrs. Boekercheck trys to set Charity up with Dr. van Tijlen, seemingly unsuccessfully. Truly, for much of the book, Charity and the doc are an irritant to each other. Once Charity realizes that she is really in love with the good doctor, she continues to dig at him, in an endeavor to protect herself. Charity is invited a number of times to visit Everard’s grandmother to take tea. The grandmother is quite taken with her, she knows this is the right future wife for the doctor. Everard finally realizes he has feelings for Charity, but he still equivocates, as he feels “real love” will be an inconvenient distraction he doesn’t want from his work. Charity finally comprehends that she cannot keep punishing herself by being around Everard, who doesn’t share her same feelings. She decides her only answer is to escape back to England, and she does. Less than 24 hours later, Everard’s grandmother, contrives a scheme to pull her and Everard back together. Boom, the impasse is breached and the Gemel Ring finds its destined recipient.
Review:
It is hard for me to rate any BN book low, for me this book is a 4.8 and I place it in the top tier of the English nurse/Dutch doctor BN books. One distinction of this book is there are more “chance opportunity meetings” before the nurse runs away to lick her wounds and the path of true love is reached. Another comfortable Betty Neels book, which I can read and read again, enjoying each time.

[Mudpie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had such great potential to be one of my favourite Betty Neels books but somewhere in between Charity/Cherry's nursing jobs in Holland, the story lost it.

There are many lovely elements in the story; like the previous book Enchanting Samantha, the Rich Dutch Doctor just rubbed the heroine the wrong way in the beginning . Though that in no way prevented her from being deeply attracted to him, without even knowing his name!

I really don't get the mocking/sardonic attitude these RDDs had for the heroines. Could it be a defence mechanism against gold digger? Or when they met an attractive woman...Could it be they instinctively sensed these females are risky to their male independence and bachelorhood?! I couldn't stand Everard constantly mocking Charity's German!

I liked Charity though, her grouchiness seemed justified and she was really sweet to the people around her especially her patients. It's so funny how after the pompous speech from Everard about her disturbing him greatly, so he'd find a wife who would NOT interfere with his job, she wished him luck in finding himself a doormat and having a dozen bespectacled little doormats who wouldn't know how to be naughty! Haha! I love the things they said to each other! "I think there will be no need of that, Professor, for my Dutch would probably turn out to be as bad as your manners." SCORE!


Her telling him she thought his fees were exhorbitant was golden! Everard seemed to enjoy getting a rise out of her! To watch her turn pink and her green eyes sparkle maybe! I like that he's never angered by her honestly blunt statements.

Grandmother had the best line! "She's only half alive and the live half isn't at all to my liking." LOL

I hated that he really dated (a) doormat(s) after "declaring" himself but it only served to make him see clearly that it's only Charity he wanted.

The Title gemel ring was a family heirloom and played an important role in the story. I wished she hadn't needed to go back to England and shortly back to
Holland. I'm tired reading about the journeys!

Dominic and Abigail from Saturday's Child made a cameo appearance, with a new baby to boot!

I enjoyed this book, but could have loved it if it had not lost steam halfway.

PS. I totally forgot about the spineless Clive LOL!

[Rainpebble · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Gemel Ring by Betty Neels; (3*)

Not the best Neels I have read, yet enjoyable enough.
A British nurse working private cases for a Dutch doctor; love with all of its prickly asides takes center stage. All comes out nicely in the end.
I have to say that I really liked all of the characters in this little story. I would really have liked to get to know a Corrie, the resident nurse and manager of the good doctor's senior home. She seemed such a 'real' person.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I might have to add this to my top five Neels. A bright, capable heroine -- who even reads the Lancet for her patient; a charismatic doctor who masks generosity with a playboy facade; and combustible dialogue that keeps up till to the very end. We even get not one but multiple conversations about why they won't become a couple. So great.

[I-like-big-books]

I don’t know why I’m on such a BN roll as they are so similar yet I’ve read at least 10 in a row. Some of the things people say they love like the food/furniture/house/scenery descriptions I just skip over as I find it all a bit dull. However I always google the doctor’s car and hoot laughing. I know nothing about cars but always find them highly amusing.

[Deane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Everard van Tijlen is arrogant and Sister Charity figures knows how to take him down a peg....he is not interested in her but can't stop thinking of her....tells her she is disturbing him.

A good story as Charity is determined that even though she loves him, he will not over rule her.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I know how each Betty Neels novel will end, I still love the story! This one was especially enjoyable because much of it is set In Utrecht, a beautiful Dutch city I visited in 2024, and could picture several locations mentioned in the book.

[Michelle David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely

If you enjoy your romances clean, light, fluffy and vintage then you will enjoy the wonderful work of Betty Neels

[Monique E. Lacroix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

One of her earlier works, delightful as usual. Simple, clean, old fashioned, just as I remember growing up in the Netherlands!