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Dearest Mary Jane
"The moment I set eyes on a handsome, rich man I shall marry him."
So said Felicity, and as she was the glamorous sister with a successful career as an international model, Mary Jane had no reason to doubt her. Mary Jane was the stay at home with no talents to speak of and a face that never merited a second glance. So it was hardly surprising that Sir Thomas Latimar treated Mary Jane as no more than a future sister-in-law. If only she hadn't been fool enough to fall in love with him...
Famous worldwide for her tender romances featuring exciting locales, Dutch doctors and kind people, Betty Neels' stories truly captivate romance readers. These four earlier novels by this esteemed author are a wonderful chance for readers to rediscover the magic of Betty Neels, offering you exceptional sales opportunity.
So said Felicity, and as she was the glamorous sister with a successful career as an international model, Mary Jane had no reason to doubt her. Mary Jane was the stay at home with no talents to speak of and a face that never merited a second glance. So it was hardly surprising that Sir Thomas Latimar treated Mary Jane as no more than a future sister-in-law. If only she hadn't been fool enough to fall in love with him...
Famous worldwide for her tender romances featuring exciting locales, Dutch doctors and kind people, Betty Neels' stories truly captivate romance readers. These four earlier novels by this esteemed author are a wonderful chance for readers to rediscover the magic of Betty Neels, offering you exceptional sales opportunity.
224 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1994
104 people are currently reading
290 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 68 reviews
April 12, 2021
On re-read, this goes up to 5 stars (from 4) and I move this into my top ten favorites by Betty.. Sir Thomas goes down as one of the best heroes she wrote. I fall in love with him every time!
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I so love this author's work. She tells such a great story. Even though her plots follow the same pattern, I can't seem to put her books down. It's just like chocolate chip ice cream. One scoop is never enough.
Since we have a long weekend here in the States, I have declared this my BN weekend. I downloaded 10 of her books, and I intend to sit down in my lawn chair, with my ice cream, and Betty Neels.
This one launched my weekend at 4 stars.
I just loved the hero, Sir Thomas. I loved that he was smitten right from the start. (It's those violet eyes, gets them every time) I loved that he saw OW for what she was, a callous, worthless, b#$%. Too bad, she happened to also be Mary Jane's sister. I loved that he rescued her from thugs. I loved that he always ate her scones and declared them the best. Not sure what it takes to be knighted, but if ever there was a knight worthy of the title, it's him. (sigh)
I thought the heroine had spirit, yet her vulnerability was captured so well. It brought the "mom" out in me and all I wanted to do was give her a big hug and make things better. Mother In Law got to do that instead and it was touching to see the relationship grow. I foresee a very great future for these two
____________________________________
I so love this author's work. She tells such a great story. Even though her plots follow the same pattern, I can't seem to put her books down. It's just like chocolate chip ice cream. One scoop is never enough.
Since we have a long weekend here in the States, I have declared this my BN weekend. I downloaded 10 of her books, and I intend to sit down in my lawn chair, with my ice cream, and Betty Neels.
This one launched my weekend at 4 stars.
I just loved the hero, Sir Thomas. I loved that he was smitten right from the start. (It's those violet eyes, gets them every time) I loved that he saw OW for what she was, a callous, worthless, b#$%. Too bad, she happened to also be Mary Jane's sister. I loved that he rescued her from thugs. I loved that he always ate her scones and declared them the best. Not sure what it takes to be knighted, but if ever there was a knight worthy of the title, it's him. (sigh)
I thought the heroine had spirit, yet her vulnerability was captured so well. It brought the "mom" out in me and all I wanted to do was give her a big hug and make things better. Mother In Law got to do that instead and it was touching to see the relationship grow. I foresee a very great future for these two
December 16, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ four stars -
What a sweetly delightful book! Very, very British, and old-fashioned-ly wholesome, to boot! I loved it ♥️📖
This is another one of these old-school Mills and Boon authors that I discovered by stalking the “favorites” shelves of fellow reviewers I follow here on Goodreads. This GR site is wonderful for discovering new books to read; it’s the whole raison d’etre of Goodreads, and when you’re using the content here as it’s intended to be used, it’s just a plain old joy. What’s better than discovering a new favorite romance? Not much, in my book (pun intended ha 🤓).
What a delightfully wholesome story this was to read. Such a sweet tale of a young girl sneaking her way into the heart of a hardened bachelor. In the style of Betty Neels, we get a Hero who’s manly, strong, and smitten. The romance is subtle, and it contains every trope I love in a romance - he picks up our heroine and carries her off to his Mama when he finds her ill, he defends our heroine’s person and honor against bad guys (mild peril - this is a sweet romance, so nothing bad happens), and one of my all-time favorite tropes is present here: the Cinderella factor.
I am thrilled to have discovered Betty Neels. These are easy-to-read, sweet romances. It’s a lot of “she walked into the room, saw this, said that” - I found this style to be so very British; I found it humorous and a delightful read.
Four solid stars for this sweetly wholesome romance. I will re-read again at some point.
Recommended for my fellow Mills and Boon reader, and those that love sweetly-done, wholesome old-fashioned romance where our two mc’s have a lot of delightful dialogue.
What a sweetly delightful book! Very, very British, and old-fashioned-ly wholesome, to boot! I loved it ♥️📖
This is another one of these old-school Mills and Boon authors that I discovered by stalking the “favorites” shelves of fellow reviewers I follow here on Goodreads. This GR site is wonderful for discovering new books to read; it’s the whole raison d’etre of Goodreads, and when you’re using the content here as it’s intended to be used, it’s just a plain old joy. What’s better than discovering a new favorite romance? Not much, in my book (pun intended ha 🤓).
What a delightfully wholesome story this was to read. Such a sweet tale of a young girl sneaking her way into the heart of a hardened bachelor. In the style of Betty Neels, we get a Hero who’s manly, strong, and smitten. The romance is subtle, and it contains every trope I love in a romance - he picks up our heroine and carries her off to his Mama when he finds her ill, he defends our heroine’s person and honor against bad guys (mild peril - this is a sweet romance, so nothing bad happens), and one of my all-time favorite tropes is present here: the Cinderella factor.
I am thrilled to have discovered Betty Neels. These are easy-to-read, sweet romances. It’s a lot of “she walked into the room, saw this, said that” - I found this style to be so very British; I found it humorous and a delightful read.
Four solid stars for this sweetly wholesome romance. I will re-read again at some point.
Recommended for my fellow Mills and Boon reader, and those that love sweetly-done, wholesome old-fashioned romance where our two mc’s have a lot of delightful dialogue.
March 30, 2018
Betty Neels wrote 134 romances; this is the 43rd story of hers that I have read and I have awarded it four stars. Let me explain.
Sir Thomas Latimer was, of course, a surgeon. He was a typical RDD -large, good-looking, quietly Rich with a capital R- but he was English. And before I forget, did any Uncrushable Jersey Dress fans notice
I liked Sir Thomas. He was unafraid of doing dishes or shopping for groceries. When Mary Jane appeared to be at her utmost worst he pitched in readily without a second thought. And I thoroughly enjoyed his treatment of Felicity- the-Fashionable-Sister-Who-Impetuously-Blurts-with-Hurt.
Speaking of
Oh! About the
I would have given it five stars except
In summary, I liked Sir Thomas. 😬
Sir Thomas Latimer was, of course, a surgeon. He was a typical RDD -large, good-looking, quietly Rich with a capital R- but he was English. And before I forget, did any Uncrushable Jersey Dress fans notice
I liked Sir Thomas. He was unafraid of doing dishes or shopping for groceries. When Mary Jane appeared to be at her utmost worst he pitched in readily without a second thought. And I thoroughly enjoyed his treatment of Felicity- the-Fashionable-Sister-Who-Impetuously-Blurts-with-Hurt.
Speaking of
Oh! About the
I would have given it five stars except
In summary, I liked Sir Thomas. 😬
November 14, 2022
Christmas tea in a cozy English village!
The hero? Sir Thomas Latimar, a tall, handsome, wealthy, well-connected doctor (of course). He's an Englishman, not Dutch (a risky change of pace for Betty Neels).
The heroine? Mary Jane, proud owner of the village tea shop and virtually alone in the world, despite slimeball relatives.
Mary Jane believes herself very ordinary compared to glamorous sister Felicity. However, Sir Thomas knows better, for Mary Jane has a gentle mouth and such glorious eyes. He secretly adores her, and keeps showing up at her cozy little tea room.
Mary Jane is gentle and does not seek out trouble. But when threatened, she brandishes the rolling pin...
I liked her. Sure, she's too perfect — hardworking, kind, courageous — but I could relate. ;-)
Clean romance. Only hugs and kisses. Drats!!
This is one of Betty's best, IMO, so I go as high as 4 stars.
See this fun picturesque review, by the Betty Neels experts: http://everyneelsthing.blogspot.com/2...
The hero? Sir Thomas Latimar, a tall, handsome, wealthy, well-connected doctor (of course). He's an Englishman, not Dutch (a risky change of pace for Betty Neels).
The heroine? Mary Jane, proud owner of the village tea shop and virtually alone in the world, despite slimeball relatives.
"She looked like a Mary Jane, not tall, a little too thin, with an unremarkable face and light brown hair, straight and long and pinned in an untidy swirl on top of her head. Only when she looked at you, violet eyes fringed with long curling lashes, did one forget her prosaic person."
Mary Jane believes herself very ordinary compared to glamorous sister Felicity. However, Sir Thomas knows better, for Mary Jane has a gentle mouth and such glorious eyes. He secretly adores her, and keeps showing up at her cozy little tea room.
Mary Jane is gentle and does not seek out trouble. But when threatened, she brandishes the rolling pin...
I liked her. Sure, she's too perfect — hardworking, kind, courageous — but I could relate. ;-)
Clean romance. Only hugs and kisses. Drats!!
This is one of Betty's best, IMO, so I go as high as 4 stars.
See this fun picturesque review, by the Betty Neels experts: http://everyneelsthing.blogspot.com/2...
July 20, 2017
Mary Jane and her sister, Felicity, were orphans who were raised by an uncle. Felicity is gorgeous and as soon as she leaves school, she moves to London, becomes a model and soon becomes rich and famous. But our book isn't about her; it's about her older sister, plain Mary Jane.
Mary Jane stayed on in the village and cared for her aunt and uncle. Aunt dies and then later, the uncle also; he left a cottage in the village to her. She moved into the cottage, opening a tea shop and living overhead. She makes a living, barely, with little left over after paying the bills.
One day just as she is closing, a big, handsome man, driving a Rolls-Royce, stops; even though Mary Jane explains she was closing, the man's spoiled, obnoxious companion insists on being served. Thankfully we never see or hear of HER again. The man, however, is Sir Thomas Latimer, an eminent surgeon, and we see and hear from him a lot!
He just *happens* to drop in when Mary Jane has fallen ill with the flu and near pneumonia. He takes her to his mother - isn't that sweet? - and Mrs. Latimer and her housekeeper, Mrs. Beaver, pamper and spoil Mary Jane. Sir Thomas drops by the tea shop quite frequently - there are dinners out and Sunday drives and various other "dates." Later, he shows up just in time to save Mary Jane from the clutches of some biker hoodlums who wreck her shop.
In this one, Felicity is the OW - or at least, she's a wannabe. She brags about wanting to marry Thomas because he's rich and well-known and since she's always got whatever she wanted, Mary Jane assumes she will get Thomas, too. However, Thomas is making it pretty clear that he has feelings for Mary Jane and she dares to believe.
And then Felicity calls, saying she has just returned from Vienna (and Mary Jane knew Thomas has just been there as well) and tell Mary Jane that she is engaged, and goes on about how wealthy and famous he is. Although Felicity says "he" and doesn't name names, Mary Jane feels sick, thinking it's Thomas. Then her nasty cousin Oliver comes to see her and makes similar remarks.
So when Thomas comes to see her, Mary Jane is feeling rejected and betrayed and takes it out on him. Thomas is angry that Mary Jane thinks him capable is such double-dealing (even though he has never actually SAID he loves her). So he goes away mad.
Then two village ladies show Mary Jane the announcement of Felicity's engagement and surprise, it's an American film director! Mary Jane contemplates writing to Thomas and telling him that she loves him, but just can't quite get it to sound right on paper. Not to worry, Mary Jane, Thomas has instructed his efficient secretary, Miss Pink, to rearrange his schedule so he has a free day to drive to the Cotswolds to make the situation clear to Mary Jane. D&P, kisses all around!
Oh, and what about the tea shop? When we last left it, there was broken crockery everywhere, chairs and tables had been smashed against the wall (think Miss Kitty's Longbranch after a rowdy barfight). Sir Thomas has rallied the villagers into cleaning up and donating cups and saucers and he has paid for a general refurbishment. Now, we know that Mary Jane will be a full-time doctor's wife and soon, full-time mum. TGB leaves us to imagine the fate of the tea shop. I feel confident that Sir Thomas will hire a nice retired couple or perhaps widow/er who will take over running the shop, while he and his Mary Jane live HEA in Little Venice.
*****
This is TGB at her best, IMO. Mary Jane may be plain (except for extravagantly-fringed violet eyes) and poor, but she's an entrepreneur. One of the most charming bits is when Mary Jane raids the attic and finds some old dresses and trims that she uses to make little mice which she sells in her shop for fifty-pence (which, even as little as I know about British money, seems AWFULLY cheap). TGB's heroines are always talented with a needle.
Yes, she had a brain meltdown when she let Oliver and Felicity plant doubts about Thomas in her mind. Keep in mind that she had been in her younger sister's shadow FOREVER, always the plain one, knowing that Felicity always managed to get whatever she wanted. I can forgive her because I love her, and so does Thomas.
Other charming bits:
Sir Thomas has a dog named Watson.
Mary Jane has a cat named Brimble, which rhymes (sort of) with Tremble, the surname of Sir Thomas's married-couple-butler-housekeeper.
Sir Thomas's mother is a real gem, even among the always-stellar RBD/RDD mums. She immediately recognizes that Thomas in interested in this unknown girl who runs a tea shop. Being curious, she drives there to check her out on the sly. She approves. I just love that.
Mary Jane is invited to a party and since she has nothing to wear (literally, unlike most of us females who make that complaint with a closet full of clothes) and can't afford to buy a dress, she purchases some silk fabric in silver-grey and makes her own party dress, which is pretty in a demure and modest way. At the party, most females are dressed rather more scantily. Mrs. Latimer says:
'How pretty you look, my dear, and what a charming dress—I have never seen so many exposed bosoms in all my life and many of them need covering.’ She eyed Mary Jane and added, ‘Although I don’t think your bosom needs to be concealed; you have a pretty figure, my dear.’
She goes on. ''You agree, Thomas?’ [about the exposed bosoms] She smiled up at her son. ‘No, probably you don’t.' Hahaha!
And this, late in the book:
"'I’d almost forgotten how nice mothers are.’ There was a wistful note in her voice, and Sir Thomas sternly suppressed his wish to stop the car and comfort her in a manner calculated to make her forget her lack of a parent." I want to simultaneously sigh and holler, "go, Sir Thomas!"
And this lovely D&P: "‘I mind very much. I mind about everything you say and do and think. I am deeply in love with you, my dearest girl, you have become part—no, my whole life. I want you with me, to come home to, to talk to, to love.’"
*Edited, because I originally posted this at 2 AM when I clearly needed sleep.*
Mary Jane stayed on in the village and cared for her aunt and uncle. Aunt dies and then later, the uncle also; he left a cottage in the village to her. She moved into the cottage, opening a tea shop and living overhead. She makes a living, barely, with little left over after paying the bills.
One day just as she is closing, a big, handsome man, driving a Rolls-Royce, stops; even though Mary Jane explains she was closing, the man's spoiled, obnoxious companion insists on being served. Thankfully we never see or hear of HER again. The man, however, is Sir Thomas Latimer, an eminent surgeon, and we see and hear from him a lot!
He just *happens* to drop in when Mary Jane has fallen ill with the flu and near pneumonia. He takes her to his mother - isn't that sweet? - and Mrs. Latimer and her housekeeper, Mrs. Beaver, pamper and spoil Mary Jane. Sir Thomas drops by the tea shop quite frequently - there are dinners out and Sunday drives and various other "dates." Later, he shows up just in time to save Mary Jane from the clutches of some biker hoodlums who wreck her shop.
In this one, Felicity is the OW - or at least, she's a wannabe. She brags about wanting to marry Thomas because he's rich and well-known and since she's always got whatever she wanted, Mary Jane assumes she will get Thomas, too. However, Thomas is making it pretty clear that he has feelings for Mary Jane and she dares to believe.
And then Felicity calls, saying she has just returned from Vienna (and Mary Jane knew Thomas has just been there as well) and tell Mary Jane that she is engaged, and goes on about how wealthy and famous he is. Although Felicity says "he" and doesn't name names, Mary Jane feels sick, thinking it's Thomas. Then her nasty cousin Oliver comes to see her and makes similar remarks.
So when Thomas comes to see her, Mary Jane is feeling rejected and betrayed and takes it out on him. Thomas is angry that Mary Jane thinks him capable is such double-dealing (even though he has never actually SAID he loves her). So he goes away mad.
Then two village ladies show Mary Jane the announcement of Felicity's engagement and surprise, it's an American film director! Mary Jane contemplates writing to Thomas and telling him that she loves him, but just can't quite get it to sound right on paper. Not to worry, Mary Jane, Thomas has instructed his efficient secretary, Miss Pink, to rearrange his schedule so he has a free day to drive to the Cotswolds to make the situation clear to Mary Jane. D&P, kisses all around!
Oh, and what about the tea shop? When we last left it, there was broken crockery everywhere, chairs and tables had been smashed against the wall (think Miss Kitty's Longbranch after a rowdy barfight). Sir Thomas has rallied the villagers into cleaning up and donating cups and saucers and he has paid for a general refurbishment. Now, we know that Mary Jane will be a full-time doctor's wife and soon, full-time mum. TGB leaves us to imagine the fate of the tea shop. I feel confident that Sir Thomas will hire a nice retired couple or perhaps widow/er who will take over running the shop, while he and his Mary Jane live HEA in Little Venice.
*****
This is TGB at her best, IMO. Mary Jane may be plain (except for extravagantly-fringed violet eyes) and poor, but she's an entrepreneur. One of the most charming bits is when Mary Jane raids the attic and finds some old dresses and trims that she uses to make little mice which she sells in her shop for fifty-pence (which, even as little as I know about British money, seems AWFULLY cheap). TGB's heroines are always talented with a needle.
Yes, she had a brain meltdown when she let Oliver and Felicity plant doubts about Thomas in her mind. Keep in mind that she had been in her younger sister's shadow FOREVER, always the plain one, knowing that Felicity always managed to get whatever she wanted. I can forgive her because I love her, and so does Thomas.
Other charming bits:
Sir Thomas has a dog named Watson.
Mary Jane has a cat named Brimble, which rhymes (sort of) with Tremble, the surname of Sir Thomas's married-couple-butler-housekeeper.
Sir Thomas's mother is a real gem, even among the always-stellar RBD/RDD mums. She immediately recognizes that Thomas in interested in this unknown girl who runs a tea shop. Being curious, she drives there to check her out on the sly. She approves. I just love that.
Mary Jane is invited to a party and since she has nothing to wear (literally, unlike most of us females who make that complaint with a closet full of clothes) and can't afford to buy a dress, she purchases some silk fabric in silver-grey and makes her own party dress, which is pretty in a demure and modest way. At the party, most females are dressed rather more scantily. Mrs. Latimer says:
'How pretty you look, my dear, and what a charming dress—I have never seen so many exposed bosoms in all my life and many of them need covering.’ She eyed Mary Jane and added, ‘Although I don’t think your bosom needs to be concealed; you have a pretty figure, my dear.’
She goes on. ''You agree, Thomas?’ [about the exposed bosoms] She smiled up at her son. ‘No, probably you don’t.' Hahaha!
And this, late in the book:
"'I’d almost forgotten how nice mothers are.’ There was a wistful note in her voice, and Sir Thomas sternly suppressed his wish to stop the car and comfort her in a manner calculated to make her forget her lack of a parent." I want to simultaneously sigh and holler, "go, Sir Thomas!"
And this lovely D&P: "‘I mind very much. I mind about everything you say and do and think. I am deeply in love with you, my dearest girl, you have become part—no, my whole life. I want you with me, to come home to, to talk to, to love.’"
*Edited, because I originally posted this at 2 AM when I clearly needed sleep.*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2016
Esta autora me encandiló allá por el '98, cuando empecé a leer más Harlequin y hasta ahora, si consigo un título de ella, lo compro porque seguro va a engancharme.
¿Qué es lo que más disfruté? Es una novela sobre la vida de una chica común y corriente que vive en un pueblo y para la cual las cosas no son fáciles. La trama transcurre entre su vida aburrida y monótona, sus esfuerzos para sobrevivir y cómo sigue adelante a pesar de todo. Me encantó una heroína alejada del glamour y más cercana a la vida real.
El protagonista tiene sus escasos POV como ocurre en este tipo de novelita kind-of-vintage (agradezcamos que tiene aunque sea un par...), y no es el macho alfa que da duro contra el muro (no aparece ningún Jamie atacando a Dakota en un callejón xD), sino un señor inglés, comedido, que poco a poco se va interesando en la heroína. No hay besos desmesurados, ni escenas de celos, ni posesividad, nada de eso. Y en la historia no se echa de menos, la vida de la protagonista con sus desventuras, una hermana famosa y rica que nunca le da una mano, y parientes espantosos que sólo ven en ella alguien a quien sacarle cosas, ya son suficientes para entretenerse durante todo el libro.
Mary Jane, a pesar de todo, nunca deja que la pasen por encima y siempre tiene una contestación para todo, no es de ninguna manera una heroína blanda y sin carácter.
¿Lo que menos disfruté? Podría haber prescindido del romance absolutamente, yo quería leer cómo esta chica luchadora seguía adelante. Además, fue un final demasiado apresurado, pero estuvo bien y cumplió.
¿Qué es lo que más disfruté? Es una novela sobre la vida de una chica común y corriente que vive en un pueblo y para la cual las cosas no son fáciles. La trama transcurre entre su vida aburrida y monótona, sus esfuerzos para sobrevivir y cómo sigue adelante a pesar de todo. Me encantó una heroína alejada del glamour y más cercana a la vida real.
El protagonista tiene sus escasos POV como ocurre en este tipo de novelita kind-of-vintage (agradezcamos que tiene aunque sea un par...), y no es el macho alfa que da duro contra el muro (no aparece ningún Jamie atacando a Dakota en un callejón xD), sino un señor inglés, comedido, que poco a poco se va interesando en la heroína. No hay besos desmesurados, ni escenas de celos, ni posesividad, nada de eso. Y en la historia no se echa de menos, la vida de la protagonista con sus desventuras, una hermana famosa y rica que nunca le da una mano, y parientes espantosos que sólo ven en ella alguien a quien sacarle cosas, ya son suficientes para entretenerse durante todo el libro.
Mary Jane, a pesar de todo, nunca deja que la pasen por encima y siempre tiene una contestación para todo, no es de ninguna manera una heroína blanda y sin carácter.
¿Lo que menos disfruté? Podría haber prescindido del romance absolutamente, yo quería leer cómo esta chica luchadora seguía adelante. Además, fue un final demasiado apresurado, pero estuvo bien y cumplió.
February 20, 2023
I want to go to Mary Jane’s tea shop! It is such a fun setting for so much of the action of this novel. Plus then we get to read about Mary Jane baking scones and tea cakes and sausage rolls. 😆 I love the glimpses we get of the Cotswolds village Mary Jane lives in and the way the villagers’ lives are connected. Sir Thomas’s mother, Mrs. Latimer, lives nearby and she is a lovely character. Sir Thomas himself is so thoughtful throughout the novel but especially at several key points where Mary Jane is struggling through no fault of her own. She is industrious and independent. She has a selfish sister and an odiously selfish cousin and cousin’s wife but I’d say she gets the better of them all. 😏
Sir Thomas is a lovely hero. And he has a faithful dog named Watson who goes with him nearly everywhere. Sir Thomas is only 34, but I kept thinking of him as being 50 and it finally occurred to me that it’s because of Mansfield Park’s Sir Thomas Bertram. 😆 Betty’s Sir Thomas is an orthopedic surgeon and so thoughtful and caring. Plus he never falls for the wiles of the OW.
Sir Thomas is a lovely hero. And he has a faithful dog named Watson who goes with him nearly everywhere. Sir Thomas is only 34, but I kept thinking of him as being 50 and it finally occurred to me that it’s because of Mansfield Park’s Sir Thomas Bertram. 😆 Betty’s Sir Thomas is an orthopedic surgeon and so thoughtful and caring. Plus he never falls for the wiles of the OW.
July 15, 2019
4 1/2 Stars ~ Mary Jane is a young woman of about 24. When she and her sister were orphaned, they went to live with their aunt and uncle. Felicity is the gorgeous one and as soon as she turned 18, she went off to London to become a model. The aunt passed away, and as Mary Jane was finishing school her uncle became unwell. So Mary Jane stayed on with him until he passed away. Her cousin inherited the estate except for a small cottage in the town which her uncle had left to her. Mary Jane converted the lower front room into a tearoom, that gave her a very modest living. Sir Thomas is a successful London orthopedic surgeon who often travels to towns outside the city to consult. He discovers Mary Jane and her little tearoom while driving through her town and he's quite taken with her. Mary Jane is rather plain but she has the most remarkable violet eyes and an often blunt way of getting her point across. When Sir Thomas drops in from time to time, she doesn't see that it's to get to know her, and when he meets beautiful Felicity, she`s certain he's fallen in love with her. But Sir Thomas sees through Felicity's shallow beauty and rejects her obvious attempts to snare him. Mary Jane, of course, hasn't the faintest idea that Sir Thomas is gently wooing her.
This is the first of Ms. Neels books that I've read that actually shares Thomas' point of view, perhaps because it's one of her later books from the 90's. Having Thomas' thoughts make this story even more of a delight to read. I adored Thomas, once meeting Mary Jane, he seemed to realize how she struggled and managed to make her life easier without her realizing what he was doing. Mary Jane is an admirable young woman who was determined to make her own way. She has a quiet dignity and a not so quiet temper which helps her to be brave when confronted. There were some rather poignant moments when Mary Jane reflected on her life and allowed herself to dream of a life that wasn't so lonely. This is one of those gentle love stories that captures your heart from the first pages.
This is the first of Ms. Neels books that I've read that actually shares Thomas' point of view, perhaps because it's one of her later books from the 90's. Having Thomas' thoughts make this story even more of a delight to read. I adored Thomas, once meeting Mary Jane, he seemed to realize how she struggled and managed to make her life easier without her realizing what he was doing. Mary Jane is an admirable young woman who was determined to make her own way. She has a quiet dignity and a not so quiet temper which helps her to be brave when confronted. There were some rather poignant moments when Mary Jane reflected on her life and allowed herself to dream of a life that wasn't so lonely. This is one of those gentle love stories that captures your heart from the first pages.
April 2, 2023
This was a cute little romance, but let's be honest, the real love story was the one between me and the cat.
😂😻
I enjoyed this one quite a bit (thanks, Lisa, for pointing me in the direction of a Betty Neels that was a better gateway than the first one I read).
With the exception of a bit of monumentally willful blindness on the part of dear Mary Jane toward the end of the book, this one was fairly palatable. And did I mention there's a cat, and I really believe even if the romance falls through, the cat will be there to pick up the pieces.
P.S. For some reason the synopsis attached to this on Amazon and other retailers and library apps is DEFINITELY for a different book. Pay no mind to it. The synopsis on Goodreads is the true one.
😂😻
I enjoyed this one quite a bit (thanks, Lisa, for pointing me in the direction of a Betty Neels that was a better gateway than the first one I read).
With the exception of a bit of monumentally willful blindness on the part of dear Mary Jane toward the end of the book, this one was fairly palatable. And did I mention there's a cat, and I really believe even if the romance falls through, the cat will be there to pick up the pieces.
P.S. For some reason the synopsis attached to this on Amazon and other retailers and library apps is DEFINITELY for a different book. Pay no mind to it. The synopsis on Goodreads is the true one.
April 6, 2025
5+ ⭐️
July 31, 2023
This is the usual BN formula with the sexy doctor (this one is English) and the down on her luck somewhat plain heroine. Of course the heroine has a selfish prettier sister who can't keep her sticky fingers off of the doctor that the h is falling for.
What makes this BN book better than some is that there is NEVER any hint that the hero feels anything for the sister more than polite tolerance. And he's got that upper crusty British way that screams 'manners' and inhibits him from being so boorish as to say what he's really thinking... but we all know ; )
Mary Jane is so sure that the Doctor will fall for her prettier sister and the sister goes out of her way to insure that Mary Jane thinks it's a forgone conclusion. I wanted to throttle her sister, Felicity. She wasn't out and out mean to Mary Jane but she never did anything for her. In the end, she didn't even invite MJ to her wedding (to someone other than the doctor of course), because she knew MJ didn't have anything nice to wear to it. This from someone who makes a lot of money as a top model. She can't even be bothered to buy her sister a dress so she can come to her wedding??? Who does (er rather doesn't) do that?
So it's a nice tale of a quiet well mannered over worked doctor who slowly falls in love with a quiet well mannered girl who runs a quiet little tea room in a small town.
MJ has a sweet cat named Brimble and all her neighbours are nice except for her evil cousin Oliver.
And MJ is no doormat. She may not have ANY expectations of how her sister should treat her, but she still gets mad at her. She also stands up to Oliver to, no problem.
Gotta say though, I sure hope she doesn't invite Felicity to her wedding.
Safety is fine.
What makes this BN book better than some is that there is NEVER any hint that the hero feels anything for the sister more than polite tolerance. And he's got that upper crusty British way that screams 'manners' and inhibits him from being so boorish as to say what he's really thinking... but we all know ; )
Mary Jane is so sure that the Doctor will fall for her prettier sister and the sister goes out of her way to insure that Mary Jane thinks it's a forgone conclusion. I wanted to throttle her sister, Felicity. She wasn't out and out mean to Mary Jane but she never did anything for her. In the end, she didn't even invite MJ to her wedding (to someone other than the doctor of course), because she knew MJ didn't have anything nice to wear to it. This from someone who makes a lot of money as a top model. She can't even be bothered to buy her sister a dress so she can come to her wedding??? Who does (er rather doesn't) do that?
So it's a nice tale of a quiet well mannered over worked doctor who slowly falls in love with a quiet well mannered girl who runs a quiet little tea room in a small town.
MJ has a sweet cat named Brimble and all her neighbours are nice except for her evil cousin Oliver.
And MJ is no doormat. She may not have ANY expectations of how her sister should treat her, but she still gets mad at her. She also stands up to Oliver to, no problem.
Gotta say though, I sure hope she doesn't invite Felicity to her wedding.
Safety is fine.
April 22, 2013
This is a little different from the usual fare. Yes the hero is a distinguished surgeon. Sir Thomas Latimer (knighted for services to humanity) meets Mary Jane quite by chance but soon finds himself seeking her out and making opportunities.
Mary Jane is scraping a living running a tea room in a small village. She is very much alone, her cousin and his wife being nasty types and her model sister being selfish to the core.
Of course when the sister Felicity spots the wealthy Sir Thomas she goes all out to snag him causing much heartburning for our heroine.
This is a lovely read with the usual cast of characters with variations on a theme. But always comforting.
Mary Jane is scraping a living running a tea room in a small village. She is very much alone, her cousin and his wife being nasty types and her model sister being selfish to the core.
Of course when the sister Felicity spots the wealthy Sir Thomas she goes all out to snag him causing much heartburning for our heroine.
This is a lovely read with the usual cast of characters with variations on a theme. But always comforting.
November 3, 2025
This has become another one of my Neel's favorites. I couldn't put it down. Our heroine is trying very hard to make a living with her little tea shop and our handsome doctor hero can't stay away from her shop. It wasn't the scones! I couldn't wait to read when he would come again. She didn't need him, she had plenty of inner strength and courage as she plugged away at life's challenges, but as a man deeply in love, he wanted to sweep away all of her hardships for a better life...with him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2025
I loved this story! I have liked most of the Betty Neels' books I've read but this is the first one I liked enough to buy. Besides her usual love story, there was some really funny scenes between the heroine and her cousin. This story also included some witty commentary on the local villagers.
Very enjoyable!
Very enjoyable!
May 8, 2016
I picked this up as a comfort read and it definitely provided that.
Old Skool Romance with endearing h and simple H.
As usual in Betty Neels books, the H was a Doctor but the h runs this quaint tea shop.
She is spirited and independent. Humble and helpful. The romance is clean, predictable and sweet.
I felt like eating lots of scones and drinking tea while reading this one!
Old Skool Romance with endearing h and simple H.
As usual in Betty Neels books, the H was a Doctor but the h runs this quaint tea shop.
She is spirited and independent. Humble and helpful. The romance is clean, predictable and sweet.
I felt like eating lots of scones and drinking tea while reading this one!
May 12, 2012
This was like eating really good mac and cheese, sometimes it's just what you need. :) I love Betty Neels- nuff said. But does anyone else wonder how all of the H's even exist? they hardly ever sleep and work at multiple different places, always on the go.. How do they do it?
Onto the book, I really liked everyone and liked that Mary Jane actually had a backbone. She didn't take crap from her cousin although the backbone was absent with her sister. The sister was something else but that's not anything new.
ETA: one thing I didn't expect was all of the typos in the e-book version.. There were tons! I was disappointed in that but it's definitely not Neels' doings. Just a little heads up.
Onto the book, I really liked everyone and liked that Mary Jane actually had a backbone. She didn't take crap from her cousin although the backbone was absent with her sister. The sister was something else but that's not anything new.
ETA: one thing I didn't expect was all of the typos in the e-book version.. There were tons! I was disappointed in that but it's definitely not Neels' doings. Just a little heads up.
March 31, 2014
Mary Jane Seymour runs a little tea room out of her cottage. Away from the mainstream life of London life where her sister, Felicity, has her modeling career, Mary Jane finds her life interrupted by Sir Thomas Latimer.
Sir Thomas finds himself drawn to the quiet, restful Mary Jane. More and more, he feels he wants to spend time with her, and see her violet eyes focused on him.
A very sweet story.
Sir Thomas finds himself drawn to the quiet, restful Mary Jane. More and more, he feels he wants to spend time with her, and see her violet eyes focused on him.
A very sweet story.
April 7, 2024
I think this may be my favorite Betty Neels. There are several very witty scenes between Mary Jane and Oliver that added another layer of enjoyment to this romantic story.
December 21, 2016
Oh, Mary Jane of the Tea Shoppe. The Great Betty does mostly good work here. Our rich, titled Doctor is English this time around--Dr. Sir Thomas Latimer. Mary Jane is not a nurse, but rather a country girl of little money trying to earn a living by running a tea shop in an off-the -beaten-path village. She has few customers but lots of annoyances--like rat Cousin Oliver, evil older sister Felicity and the rowdy bikers who decide to trash her shop. Mary Jane is no pushover and wields a mean rolling pin and a sharp tongue when necessary. Sir Thomas is a sweetie--he even convinces his mother to visit the tea shop AND he buys some of the fabric mice Mary Jane has made to sell in the shop.
All goes swimmingly until Mary Jane suffers major brain failure and decides that she can't possibly believe Sir Thomas, who told her that he didn't love Felicity and had no intention of marrying her. Noooo, MJ's going to construct this fairy tale from what the rat cousin Oliver and rat sister Felicity said. That's when my respect for Mary Jane went right down the tubes. The fight with the bikers obviously destroyed all her functioning brain cells!!
I guess Betty needed a conflict to make the page count(?) and this idiocy was the best she could come up with(??).
Anyway, that dropped my rating from 4 to 3 stars.
All goes swimmingly until Mary Jane suffers major brain failure and decides that she can't possibly believe Sir Thomas, who told her that he didn't love Felicity and had no intention of marrying her. Noooo, MJ's going to construct this fairy tale from what the rat cousin Oliver and rat sister Felicity said. That's when my respect for Mary Jane went right down the tubes. The fight with the bikers obviously destroyed all her functioning brain cells!!
I guess Betty needed a conflict to make the page count(?) and this idiocy was the best she could come up with(??).
Anyway, that dropped my rating from 4 to 3 stars.
November 15, 2021
I can pretty much sum this up with an h that was really hard working and truly likable. In fact, she's like your average person working to make a living and her greatest wish was more like "it would be nice to have just a little bit more money." And I gotta love someone who is so down to earth that when the H shows up and says "Here, let me take us out to dinner" (and being Neels you know it'll be a lavish affair) and the h pretty much responds "Nah, I got a casserole in the oven. You can join me and eat that if you want." And he does because he was a bit blindsided by that one.
And though you think it's going to be a Cinderella story (rich successful sister who doesn't lift a finger to help poor hardworking sister), this h is no pushover. She tolerates her sister and recognizes there was never anything really close between them. But hey, that's how it is. Or when the "dastardly cousin Basil" comes to give her a hard time she threatens to physically take him on if she has to (and he backs down!). Funny thing, I am not 100% sure the cousin is named Basil. But Basil is a name Neels has used before for dastardly cousins so it's a safe bet. It can become Neels code for the evil family member. Sort of like "he's such a Basil!"
Also this story takes place over months which I personally love.
And though you think it's going to be a Cinderella story (rich successful sister who doesn't lift a finger to help poor hardworking sister), this h is no pushover. She tolerates her sister and recognizes there was never anything really close between them. But hey, that's how it is. Or when the "dastardly cousin Basil" comes to give her a hard time she threatens to physically take him on if she has to (and he backs down!). Funny thing, I am not 100% sure the cousin is named Basil. But Basil is a name Neels has used before for dastardly cousins so it's a safe bet. It can become Neels code for the evil family member. Sort of like "he's such a Basil!"
Also this story takes place over months which I personally love.
November 12, 2011
I just finished this book (ebook, to be specific) last week. It was my first time to read it and I must say it is a good one. It was my first time to encounter a Betty Neels female lead who is an entrepreneur; in other books, she is always a nurse or a “baby whisperer”.
Mary Jane owns a tea shop and she’s doing remarkably well, if we are talking about surviving one day at a time. Sir Thomas the rich surgeon is the lesser version of Litrik, which means he is less arrogant and less unexpressive. He goes out of his schedule to see Mary Jane with whom he develops feelings with.
Unlike The Hasty Marriage wherein Laura fall in love with Reilof on sight, Mary Jane and Thomas started off their relationship with a good amount of animosity towards each other. Planned and unplanned events lead to Mary Jane and Thomas learning to care for each other. My heart really went out to Mary Jane when the author described her lonely life, managing a tea shop but dreaming of a happy family life.
This will, for sure, be another Betty Neels title I would likely pick up again and read.
From my blog, http://www.nancycudis.com
Mary Jane owns a tea shop and she’s doing remarkably well, if we are talking about surviving one day at a time. Sir Thomas the rich surgeon is the lesser version of Litrik, which means he is less arrogant and less unexpressive. He goes out of his schedule to see Mary Jane with whom he develops feelings with.
Unlike The Hasty Marriage wherein Laura fall in love with Reilof on sight, Mary Jane and Thomas started off their relationship with a good amount of animosity towards each other. Planned and unplanned events lead to Mary Jane and Thomas learning to care for each other. My heart really went out to Mary Jane when the author described her lonely life, managing a tea shop but dreaming of a happy family life.
This will, for sure, be another Betty Neels title I would likely pick up again and read.
From my blog, http://www.nancycudis.com
May 7, 2021
I'm reading my way through Neels' work available on OverDrive, and the description of this one confused me. I thought I'd already read a book where the lovely younger sister gets engaged to the doctor first. I have - it's The Hasty Marriage, which I liked better than this one. I think I've also read one where the younger sister is a model. The key here is that the heroine is an orphan who runs a tiny tea room in a small village.
I wanted to like Mary Jane - at least she's taken what little she has in life and is trying to make her own way. But honestly, I found her rather wet and clueless. I liked the hero, he wasn't as enigmatic as some and at one point he clearly tells her he isn't interested in her lovely sister at all. But for some reason this doesn't register with her and later she accuses him of getting engaged to said lovely, nasty girl.
NB - If you enjoy Neel's books join the conversation at the GR group Betty Neels Junkies. See you there!
This book lies somewhere between two and three stars for me, depending if I focus more on the hero or the heroine.
I wanted to like Mary Jane - at least she's taken what little she has in life and is trying to make her own way. But honestly, I found her rather wet and clueless. I liked the hero, he wasn't as enigmatic as some and at one point he clearly tells her he isn't interested in her lovely sister at all. But for some reason this doesn't register with her and later she accuses him of getting engaged to said lovely, nasty girl.
NB - If you enjoy Neel's books join the conversation at the GR group Betty Neels Junkies. See you there!
This book lies somewhere between two and three stars for me, depending if I focus more on the hero or the heroine.
October 3, 2014
My mom is a great fan of old Mills & Boon books and this was her top favorite. She always wanted me to read it but I was not interested because I've read several M&B books before and found them boring. But at last I gave this one a try and WOW! I never expected it to be so beautiful!! The story was very sweet and polite and it slowly started to creep into my heart. The story flows slowly and it starts absorbing the reader and binds them to the end. Mary Jane was a very lively,lovable and believable character. She was not a typical naive heroine whom you normally find in these books. Sir Thomas was a gentle, kind, chivalrous gentlemen and I loved their interaction and how their story developed. I also liked how the author depicted the rural village scenes. This book makes me feel so good even-though I've read it like 5 or 6 times already. No wonder why mom loves it so much :)
August 29, 2017
I enjoyed this book from start to finish, I liked both characters, Mary Jane and Thomas but I didn't care much for her sister and her cousin but unlike some of the characters in other Betty's books she wasn't scared to fight back especially with her cousin and wife.
I liked how it was all set in a tea shop that she owned in a little village and she was independent and only needed Thomas when she really had to, I didn't like how she got her wires crossed though because it seemed like everyone knew the doctor liked her apart from her and I didn't really get how she believed her slimy cousin when she knew he was a trouble maker and I thought the ending was a bit too short, but I give this 5 stars because I liked the setting and it was a nice easy read.
I liked how it was all set in a tea shop that she owned in a little village and she was independent and only needed Thomas when she really had to, I didn't like how she got her wires crossed though because it seemed like everyone knew the doctor liked her apart from her and I didn't really get how she believed her slimy cousin when she knew he was a trouble maker and I thought the ending was a bit too short, but I give this 5 stars because I liked the setting and it was a nice easy read.
March 4, 2024
Charming romance that left me smiling at the end.
November 19, 2021
Another Betty Neels novel that made it to five stars!
Mary Jane Seymour, a plain girl who runs a small coffee shop in a small village, she had an older sister named Felicity who is the common, annoying, and empty female supporting characters in a BN novel - she was described as physically attractive but lacks character and virtue, quite the opposite to our lead. Mary Jane meets our RBD, Thomas Latimer, when he comes in for coffee one late afternoon, right before she was about to close her shop. They meet again when Mary Jane does a favor to her elderly neighbors, the Misses Potters, to go to the hospital with Mabel Potter (the invalid sister) for a check-up, but of course, the consultant doctor that they went to was no other than our handsome RBD, I see what you did there Betty.
They meet the second time during that first consultation, and again when Mary Jane was requested in a letter from the hospital, to once again accompany the invalid upon her hospital admission. Basically that was how they got acquainted together, during hospital visits, there was even that one time when Thomas deliberately went to the hospital just to see Mary Jane when he found out that she was visiting.
"On his bi-weekly round he had seen Mary Jane's postcard on Miss Mabel's locker and, without knowing why, he had decided to be on the ward on Sunday afternoon.
On that same visit, he was clever enough (as most of Betty's heroes are) to make it seem that they "coincidentally" meet outside (even though I'd bet his Rolls-Royce for a hairpin that he actually waited for her to head out when he found out that she'll be taking a bus home) and so he offered to drive her back to the village. She refused at first, as sensibility dictates, but of course, our RBD would always insist. When they arrived he even went out with her and opened her door, but Mary Jane was kind of flustered by it, thinking that maybe he had better things to do than spend his leisure time with her, and so she sent him home right away, she didn't invite him in for tea or coffee. That was when our RBD became even more curious about her.
He had never, he reflected, been told to go by a girl. On the contrary, they made a point of asking him to stay. He wasn't a conceited man but now he was intrigued. He had wanted to meet her again, going deliberately to the hospital when he knew that she would be there, wanting to know more about her.
It was most unlikely that they would meet again after that, but since Thomas' curiosity to Mary jane got the best of him, he come to her little coffee shop time and again. One thing that I loved about this book was the many heart fluttering moments they had. Thomas Latimer is perhaps the best hero that Betty ever wrote, he is everything that a gentleman should be!
When Mary Jane got sick he was the one who took notice and even went as far as breaking into her house just to see her, then he took her to his home so she could recover. It was most sweet of him.
Mary Jane on the other hand was always jumping to conclusions (as most of Betty's heroines are), thinking that Thomas was so good to her because he wanted to win her sister Felicity. I loved the part when Mary Jane lied about spending Christmas in London with her sister, but Thomas found her alone in her house on Christmas, and he was angry with her for telling a lie. That alone says a lot, but Mary Jane still did not have a clue because she thought that he was in love with Felicity!
In the later parts of the book, Thomas made it clear to Mary Jane that he never had the intention of pursuing Felicity, it should have been assurance enough for Mary Jane but it still wasn't enough. Such stupidity indeed. She thought that "A man in love would go great lengths to please a girl." Mary Jane was too stupid to realize that the efforts of Thomas were solely for her, and in no way would it benefit her sister, who, if may say so, lived a life that clearly excludes Mary Jane. If he had wanted to win Felicity, then there is no need for him to visit Mary Jane time and again! Why can't Mary Jane see that? Urrgh. She even went as far as to accuse him of amusing himself with her while Felicity was not around.
Thomas thought to himself "How dare she imagine for one moment that he was amusing himself with her when he loved her to distraction?" BAM! What can you say to that?!
It was really just a small misunderstanding on Mary Jane's part, but Thomas was so patient with her that he took the time and effort to show her his love, but it also took him a while before he actually uttered his love out loud. I just love Thomas Latimer, he made this read classic, and he is by far the best hero that I've read from Betty!
In the end Mary Jane still held her ground even after knowing that all her assumptions were wrong, she was on the point of writing him a letter, but Thomas beat her to it by actually coming to her coffee shop to finally win her. Cheers!
And here are some of my favorite quotes from the book..
“There is something you should know. Falling in love and loving are two quite different things. Goodbye.”
“How could she have fallen in love with this taciturn man who had no more interest in her than he might have in a row of pins?”
“Love did hurt, a physical pain which cut her like a knife. Somehow she was going to have to live with it.”
Mary Jane Seymour, a plain girl who runs a small coffee shop in a small village, she had an older sister named Felicity who is the common, annoying, and empty female supporting characters in a BN novel - she was described as physically attractive but lacks character and virtue, quite the opposite to our lead. Mary Jane meets our RBD, Thomas Latimer, when he comes in for coffee one late afternoon, right before she was about to close her shop. They meet again when Mary Jane does a favor to her elderly neighbors, the Misses Potters, to go to the hospital with Mabel Potter (the invalid sister) for a check-up, but of course, the consultant doctor that they went to was no other than our handsome RBD, I see what you did there Betty.
They meet the second time during that first consultation, and again when Mary Jane was requested in a letter from the hospital, to once again accompany the invalid upon her hospital admission. Basically that was how they got acquainted together, during hospital visits, there was even that one time when Thomas deliberately went to the hospital just to see Mary Jane when he found out that she was visiting.
"On his bi-weekly round he had seen Mary Jane's postcard on Miss Mabel's locker and, without knowing why, he had decided to be on the ward on Sunday afternoon.
On that same visit, he was clever enough (as most of Betty's heroes are) to make it seem that they "coincidentally" meet outside (even though I'd bet his Rolls-Royce for a hairpin that he actually waited for her to head out when he found out that she'll be taking a bus home) and so he offered to drive her back to the village. She refused at first, as sensibility dictates, but of course, our RBD would always insist. When they arrived he even went out with her and opened her door, but Mary Jane was kind of flustered by it, thinking that maybe he had better things to do than spend his leisure time with her, and so she sent him home right away, she didn't invite him in for tea or coffee. That was when our RBD became even more curious about her.
He had never, he reflected, been told to go by a girl. On the contrary, they made a point of asking him to stay. He wasn't a conceited man but now he was intrigued. He had wanted to meet her again, going deliberately to the hospital when he knew that she would be there, wanting to know more about her.
It was most unlikely that they would meet again after that, but since Thomas' curiosity to Mary jane got the best of him, he come to her little coffee shop time and again. One thing that I loved about this book was the many heart fluttering moments they had. Thomas Latimer is perhaps the best hero that Betty ever wrote, he is everything that a gentleman should be!
When Mary Jane got sick he was the one who took notice and even went as far as breaking into her house just to see her, then he took her to his home so she could recover. It was most sweet of him.
Mary Jane on the other hand was always jumping to conclusions (as most of Betty's heroines are), thinking that Thomas was so good to her because he wanted to win her sister Felicity. I loved the part when Mary Jane lied about spending Christmas in London with her sister, but Thomas found her alone in her house on Christmas, and he was angry with her for telling a lie. That alone says a lot, but Mary Jane still did not have a clue because she thought that he was in love with Felicity!
In the later parts of the book, Thomas made it clear to Mary Jane that he never had the intention of pursuing Felicity, it should have been assurance enough for Mary Jane but it still wasn't enough. Such stupidity indeed. She thought that "A man in love would go great lengths to please a girl." Mary Jane was too stupid to realize that the efforts of Thomas were solely for her, and in no way would it benefit her sister, who, if may say so, lived a life that clearly excludes Mary Jane. If he had wanted to win Felicity, then there is no need for him to visit Mary Jane time and again! Why can't Mary Jane see that? Urrgh. She even went as far as to accuse him of amusing himself with her while Felicity was not around.
Thomas thought to himself "How dare she imagine for one moment that he was amusing himself with her when he loved her to distraction?" BAM! What can you say to that?!
It was really just a small misunderstanding on Mary Jane's part, but Thomas was so patient with her that he took the time and effort to show her his love, but it also took him a while before he actually uttered his love out loud. I just love Thomas Latimer, he made this read classic, and he is by far the best hero that I've read from Betty!
In the end Mary Jane still held her ground even after knowing that all her assumptions were wrong, she was on the point of writing him a letter, but Thomas beat her to it by actually coming to her coffee shop to finally win her. Cheers!
And here are some of my favorite quotes from the book..
“There is something you should know. Falling in love and loving are two quite different things. Goodbye.”
“How could she have fallen in love with this taciturn man who had no more interest in her than he might have in a row of pins?”
“Love did hurt, a physical pain which cut her like a knife. Somehow she was going to have to live with it.”
June 26, 2023
Not a nurse? Owns a tea shop? Shocking! Thank goodness the hero is a large handsome doctor and as a plus he has a delightful kind mother. Perfect.
May 22, 2023
Nice but tepid!
July 13, 2021
I absolutely love this book and loved reading it again. Mary Jane is a spunky young woman, running a small tea shop in her home village all on her own. She meets Sir Thomas and, thinking he is falling for her beautiful, rich international model sister, Felicity, she doesn't take him seriously. Felicity, meanwhile, is a truly evil and nasty piece of work. She doesn't care for Sir Thomas, only his money. She takes any chance she can get to deflate Mary Jane's ego. Then there's their rude, snobbish cousin, who only shows up to torment Mary Jane or to try to take advantage of her generous nature. It takes a bit of time and patience, but Sir Thomas wins her over, and happily ever after is achieved. One of Betty's best, in my humble opinion.
January 22, 2013
This was a lovely book. It was about a poor teashop owner and a rich doctor. May Jane's family has virtually deserted her, and she just barely makes ends meet by selling tea and scones. The book gives great insight into London customs and the towns around it. It's a very clean, well-written romance. I liked Mary Jane's spunk in the midst of her family's taunts, and I liked the humanity of the doctor.
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