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The Right Kind of Girl
A suitable wife?
Emma Trent had spent most of her life looking after other people, so it was a shock to encounter a man so determined to take care of her - Sir Paul Wyatt was fast becoming her very own guardian angel!
She was hardly in a position to turn down his proposal of marriage, even if it was motivated by convenience on his part. With her plain looks and practical nature, Emma knew her limitations, but longed for children of her own. Could the eminent surgeon be the answer to all her dreams?
224 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1995
About the author
Betty Neels
625 books376 followersBetty 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 Holland did use h
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 Holland did use h
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 17, 2017
Have you ever read an otherwise good book that was ruined by a single line? Well, "The Right Kind of Girl" is that book for me. The story is otherwise charming, but the hero makes a particular statement to the heroine that was just unforgivable. To compound the egregiousness, not only does he never apologize, he never even acknowledges what he said. He gets angry because she didn't trust him, but he didn't trust her either and took someone else's word over hers.
I've been a fan of Betty Neels for more than 30 years and have read nearly all of her books, some of them many times. This is the first one that I wanted to throw across the room. Until now, my least favorite books were Winter of Change and Paradise for Two. Well, now this one is my new Top Least Favorite.
Without "the comment" I would have given this book a 3.5 star rating. I'm going to deduct two stars for "the comment," leaving a final rating of 1.5.
I've been a fan of Betty Neels for more than 30 years and have read nearly all of her books, some of them many times. This is the first one that I wanted to throw across the room. Until now, my least favorite books were Winter of Change and Paradise for Two. Well, now this one is my new Top Least Favorite.
Without "the comment" I would have given this book a 3.5 star rating. I'm going to deduct two stars for "the comment," leaving a final rating of 1.5.
August 11, 2020
This a very stereotypical Betty Neels in many ways. The h is humble, the H is in love with the h but smug and idiotic, but the bottom line is that he takes the OW's side, over and over, including saying one thing that was absolutely unforgivable, and at the end the sweet, not too smart h ends up making all the concessions and the love declaration. He never apologizes.
Not this time, Betty.
It's time for a healing revisionist epilogue.
We begin when the h has just left her letter saying she is leaving him. As happens in the book, he reads it in front of her, accepts her love declaration, and then is able to casually tell her he had loved her all along. He kisses her passionately, but here is where the script differs:
As he is kissing her, a though occurs to her. Why didn't he, a mature man of wealth and good looks, tell her he loved her and woo her weeks ago? Does he lack confidence that much? She doesn't ask him that, but suspicious about the OW, she asks him why he gave her so much precedence over her. He is dismissive and blames it entirely on the OW.
This doesn't sit well with the h, and unfortunately, the phone rings and the H is called off to deal with an emergency -- he will be gone for a week. The h suddenly realizes that she doesn't accept his excuse about the OW, and that she faces a life of constant insecurity with the H, even if she does love him.
She decides to go for a walk, which brings her to town. She ends up encountering a Corgi puppy, who has clearly lost his human. She scoops up the puppy and when she doesn't see anyone looking for a missing pet, she goes to the nearest business, a law firm. She ends up being helped by one of the lawyers, a vibrant man of 30 who is Swiss and is only there for a few months while he sets up a branch of his firm. The lawyer says he will keep the puppy if no owner is found. He is immediately smitten with the h and quickly figures out that the h is in a relationship with a emotionally withholding man who may or may not be having an affair with another woman.
He decides to verify it and manages to get an invitation to a hospital fundraiser the next week that he knows that the H, the h, and the OW will be attending. At the banquet, he observes that the OW is very proprietary and affectionate towards the H in front of the h, implying that the H is her lover. The poor h is in agony, and Swiss lawyer realizes the H is deliberately allowing it to keep the h in line.
As he networks that evening, Swiss Lawyer is slowly gathering names of witnesses who could testify that the OW and the H seem to be having an affair. He persuades the h to meet with him the next day and is delighted that she asks him for help escaping her terrible marriage. Swiss Lawyer determines that the marriage has not been consummated, since the h grew a backbone after the OW's antics the night before.
He quickly files papers for an annulment, which they present to the H at the H's office as a fait accompli. The H is furious that the worm has turned and lashes out that he should have married the OW, implying that he and the OW were having an affair. Unfortunately, he is heard by a large group of his peers, and finds himself forced to marry the OW, whom he blames for all his problems, to salvage his career and reputation. They make each other miserable for several years until the H has a heart attack while driving the nagging OW to a social obligation. The car crashes into a tree and both are killed almost instantly, but he lives long enough for the H to think regretfully of the h and how he lost her.
Meanwhile, Swiss Lawyer arranges for the h to stay with his sister in Switzerland, where the sister is in the last months of a difficult pregnancy and needs someone to help keep an eye on her lively, sweet-natured children until she can find a nanny. Swiss Lawyer is a regular visitor during that time, getting to know the h. He often brings the Corgi puppy on his visits, and allows the h to name him (she calls him Jaunty). SL declares his love early and often, proposes after 2 months, and 3 months later they are married. They live happily ever after with their adorable children and personable Corgis.
Not this time, Betty.
It's time for a healing revisionist epilogue.
We begin when the h has just left her letter saying she is leaving him. As happens in the book, he reads it in front of her, accepts her love declaration, and then is able to casually tell her he had loved her all along. He kisses her passionately, but here is where the script differs:
As he is kissing her, a though occurs to her. Why didn't he, a mature man of wealth and good looks, tell her he loved her and woo her weeks ago? Does he lack confidence that much? She doesn't ask him that, but suspicious about the OW, she asks him why he gave her so much precedence over her. He is dismissive and blames it entirely on the OW.
This doesn't sit well with the h, and unfortunately, the phone rings and the H is called off to deal with an emergency -- he will be gone for a week. The h suddenly realizes that she doesn't accept his excuse about the OW, and that she faces a life of constant insecurity with the H, even if she does love him.
She decides to go for a walk, which brings her to town. She ends up encountering a Corgi puppy, who has clearly lost his human. She scoops up the puppy and when she doesn't see anyone looking for a missing pet, she goes to the nearest business, a law firm. She ends up being helped by one of the lawyers, a vibrant man of 30 who is Swiss and is only there for a few months while he sets up a branch of his firm. The lawyer says he will keep the puppy if no owner is found. He is immediately smitten with the h and quickly figures out that the h is in a relationship with a emotionally withholding man who may or may not be having an affair with another woman.
He decides to verify it and manages to get an invitation to a hospital fundraiser the next week that he knows that the H, the h, and the OW will be attending. At the banquet, he observes that the OW is very proprietary and affectionate towards the H in front of the h, implying that the H is her lover. The poor h is in agony, and Swiss lawyer realizes the H is deliberately allowing it to keep the h in line.
As he networks that evening, Swiss Lawyer is slowly gathering names of witnesses who could testify that the OW and the H seem to be having an affair. He persuades the h to meet with him the next day and is delighted that she asks him for help escaping her terrible marriage. Swiss Lawyer determines that the marriage has not been consummated, since the h grew a backbone after the OW's antics the night before.
He quickly files papers for an annulment, which they present to the H at the H's office as a fait accompli. The H is furious that the worm has turned and lashes out that he should have married the OW, implying that he and the OW were having an affair. Unfortunately, he is heard by a large group of his peers, and finds himself forced to marry the OW, whom he blames for all his problems, to salvage his career and reputation. They make each other miserable for several years until the H has a heart attack while driving the nagging OW to a social obligation. The car crashes into a tree and both are killed almost instantly, but he lives long enough for the H to think regretfully of the h and how he lost her.
Meanwhile, Swiss Lawyer arranges for the h to stay with his sister in Switzerland, where the sister is in the last months of a difficult pregnancy and needs someone to help keep an eye on her lively, sweet-natured children until she can find a nanny. Swiss Lawyer is a regular visitor during that time, getting to know the h. He often brings the Corgi puppy on his visits, and allows the h to name him (she calls him Jaunty). SL declares his love early and often, proposes after 2 months, and 3 months later they are married. They live happily ever after with their adorable children and personable Corgis.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2021
The Right Kind of Girl (1995) is the one with the Unforgiveable Curse you won’t find in Harry Potter: Invectivus Comparito. The hero utters something so unforgiveable to the heroine that most reviewers do not get past it. I thought he was an ass for saying what he says, but I did like that our usually obliging heroine turned pretty cold and unforgiving about it for a long time, so our hero doesn’t really get off unscathed. Most BN heroines are far too quick to let the heroes off the hook.
TRKoG is pretty standard later Neels, with a heroine who is not a nurse, a Rich British Doctor hero, a snake-in-the-grass wannabe OW (“latet anguis in herba” our classics-trained RBD tells us), and some fine secondary characters to give some local flavor. The right kind of girl for our RBD is Emma: old fashioned, restful, ladylike, unselfpitying, and mostly sweet (the best thing about Neels’ heroines is that there’s always a little vinegar and a lot of seething mixed in with their ordinarily kind and good selves). RBD Sir Paul Wyatt doesn’t stand a chance against her homely charms.
Betty had been out of the nursing profession more than 25 years by the time this book was written, and I find that her later books—often Cinderella tales with heroines in need of saving--often suffer for the lack of her independent and capable nurse-heroines. The relationships become too lopsided when her wealthy, exceptional heroes are paired with destitute heroines with bleak futures as opposed to her self-sufficient earlier heroines, who always had work to fall back on if nothing else.
After all, among all the elements of romantic fantasy in BN books, perhaps most compelling is that her heroes, who could have anyone they want, really, given their good looks, wealth, social standing, and professional renown, fall in love with heroines who are entirely DESERVING of the love of such exceptional men not because they are beautiful or wealthy or accomplished, but because they are good and kind and utterly decent. Her heroines are not the prettiest or most suitable of the hero’s matrimonial prospects, but they are nonetheless equally as EXCEPTIONAL as the heroes in terms of their worthiness and, really, the pureness of their hearts.
Much as her heroes would often prefer otherwise, they literally have no choice—they fall in love despite themselves in most cases, happy with their work and their autonomy and the occasional social outing. All of their self-possession and well-mapped lives are thrown into disarray, internally if not otherwise, by the incursion of the heroines into their lives. But it’s a lot easier to believe that the heroines are THAT special when we see the proof of it in their independent existence and their interactions with others, and it really works better with the nurses as opposed to the waifs.
Anyway, all musing aside, there’s nothing wrong with The Right Kind of Girl, really. It has Betty’s usual nostalgic magic of pseudo-Edwardian/Victorian country life (with mod cons), with beautiful old homes and possessions, lavish meals, tea around the fire, pets and faithful family retainers, and admirable MCs. But in this one, the hero’s love for the heroine happens without much development and comes too soon; it seems too pat and snap—Betty doesn’t really make the case for it. We have a little hero PoV in this one, and I find that when Betty explicitly reveals the hero’s instalove, it makes it less believable than in her early books, when we knew through the hero’s often hot-and-cold words and actions that he is reluctantly succumbing to the heroine’s charms but it usually takes some time for him to realize and acknowledge it. It’s more effective when there’s no explicit hero PoV, IMO. The emotional connections are more gradual, more painful, and more compelling when Betty takes time to let them develop and makes the heroes more enigmatic.
TRKOG follows a standard BN MoC plot
A just-okay one from Betty; there’s just nothing particularly special about this one, and the characters are just a little too bland. Perhaps as Betty got into her 80s, ideal love became more of an elderly person’s version, with calm warmth and comfort taking the place of her earlier (admittedly always muted) heat and angst. I prefer her sparkier heroes and heroines and her angstier tales, but even her tame tales, like TRKOG, feature her clean and engaging, if a touch old fashioned, writing and a warmth of character and place that’s hard to match.
TRKoG is pretty standard later Neels, with a heroine who is not a nurse, a Rich British Doctor hero, a snake-in-the-grass wannabe OW (“latet anguis in herba” our classics-trained RBD tells us), and some fine secondary characters to give some local flavor. The right kind of girl for our RBD is Emma: old fashioned, restful, ladylike, unselfpitying, and mostly sweet (the best thing about Neels’ heroines is that there’s always a little vinegar and a lot of seething mixed in with their ordinarily kind and good selves). RBD Sir Paul Wyatt doesn’t stand a chance against her homely charms.
Betty had been out of the nursing profession more than 25 years by the time this book was written, and I find that her later books—often Cinderella tales with heroines in need of saving--often suffer for the lack of her independent and capable nurse-heroines. The relationships become too lopsided when her wealthy, exceptional heroes are paired with destitute heroines with bleak futures as opposed to her self-sufficient earlier heroines, who always had work to fall back on if nothing else.
After all, among all the elements of romantic fantasy in BN books, perhaps most compelling is that her heroes, who could have anyone they want, really, given their good looks, wealth, social standing, and professional renown, fall in love with heroines who are entirely DESERVING of the love of such exceptional men not because they are beautiful or wealthy or accomplished, but because they are good and kind and utterly decent. Her heroines are not the prettiest or most suitable of the hero’s matrimonial prospects, but they are nonetheless equally as EXCEPTIONAL as the heroes in terms of their worthiness and, really, the pureness of their hearts.
Much as her heroes would often prefer otherwise, they literally have no choice—they fall in love despite themselves in most cases, happy with their work and their autonomy and the occasional social outing. All of their self-possession and well-mapped lives are thrown into disarray, internally if not otherwise, by the incursion of the heroines into their lives. But it’s a lot easier to believe that the heroines are THAT special when we see the proof of it in their independent existence and their interactions with others, and it really works better with the nurses as opposed to the waifs.
Anyway, all musing aside, there’s nothing wrong with The Right Kind of Girl, really. It has Betty’s usual nostalgic magic of pseudo-Edwardian/Victorian country life (with mod cons), with beautiful old homes and possessions, lavish meals, tea around the fire, pets and faithful family retainers, and admirable MCs. But in this one, the hero’s love for the heroine happens without much development and comes too soon; it seems too pat and snap—Betty doesn’t really make the case for it. We have a little hero PoV in this one, and I find that when Betty explicitly reveals the hero’s instalove, it makes it less believable than in her early books, when we knew through the hero’s often hot-and-cold words and actions that he is reluctantly succumbing to the heroine’s charms but it usually takes some time for him to realize and acknowledge it. It’s more effective when there’s no explicit hero PoV, IMO. The emotional connections are more gradual, more painful, and more compelling when Betty takes time to let them develop and makes the heroes more enigmatic.
TRKOG follows a standard BN MoC plot
A just-okay one from Betty; there’s just nothing particularly special about this one, and the characters are just a little too bland. Perhaps as Betty got into her 80s, ideal love became more of an elderly person’s version, with calm warmth and comfort taking the place of her earlier (admittedly always muted) heat and angst. I prefer her sparkier heroes and heroines and her angstier tales, but even her tame tales, like TRKOG, feature her clean and engaging, if a touch old fashioned, writing and a warmth of character and place that’s hard to match.
April 10, 2021
This was an Ok read, but definitely not one of Betty's better efforts. I usually don't mind the same story told over and over again, because it is so well told and the quirkiness of the characters differentiate the story. But this time, it all just felt flat and things just seemed to jump around. Consequently, I never got "into" the story and couldn't really relate to the main characters. I was just a casual participator, somewhat removed from the story.
January 21, 2018
I found this book to be very frustrating than her other books, I found the H Paul very confusing, unlikable aswell as frustrating and I thought the h Emma was a bit of a doormat with him because he would do his own thing and she would be left on her own, I know it's a marriage of convenience but I would like to see a bit of affection lol.
As usual we have the ow but this time she's just a troublemaker who isn't the ow but wants to be and she runs the orphanage where Emma goes to work part time seeing as Paul leaves her on her own alot and Diana sees an opportunity to cause trouble by getting Emma to help some people who are stranded and when Paul finds out she tells him that Emma wanted to go on her own and not get an ambulance, so Paul and Emma argue and this is the point now where I really dislike Paul as he tells Emma that "Diana is worth a dozen of you"when she tries to explain about what Diana really said and the only reason he eventually believes her is when a lady who works at the orphanage tells him that she overheard what had been said and that Diana had been lying.
Now I'm expecting him to come home to Emma and for him to apologise and grovel to her but he doesn't and somehow towards the end despite all the trouble the ow had caused she's the one who is apologising to him when he tells her he'll go to America on his own, I'm pleased there was a part where he goes and tells Diana what he thinks of her but I think he is one of the worst characters out of all Betty's books for saying that to Emma and I would have liked to have seen Emma grow a backbone rather than choosing to be second best if he went with Diana.
I would have liked it better if she threw him out whilst explaining what had really happened, divorce him, let Diana know that's all hers now and then marry someone who thinks she's worth a dozen over any woman, I thought the ending as usual was very quick and I still didn't see him apologise to her, not at all satisfying and it's all to do with that comment lol.
As usual we have the ow but this time she's just a troublemaker who isn't the ow but wants to be and she runs the orphanage where Emma goes to work part time seeing as Paul leaves her on her own alot and Diana sees an opportunity to cause trouble by getting Emma to help some people who are stranded and when Paul finds out she tells him that Emma wanted to go on her own and not get an ambulance, so Paul and Emma argue and this is the point now where I really dislike Paul as he tells Emma that "Diana is worth a dozen of you"when she tries to explain about what Diana really said and the only reason he eventually believes her is when a lady who works at the orphanage tells him that she overheard what had been said and that Diana had been lying.
Now I'm expecting him to come home to Emma and for him to apologise and grovel to her but he doesn't and somehow towards the end despite all the trouble the ow had caused she's the one who is apologising to him when he tells her he'll go to America on his own, I'm pleased there was a part where he goes and tells Diana what he thinks of her but I think he is one of the worst characters out of all Betty's books for saying that to Emma and I would have liked to have seen Emma grow a backbone rather than choosing to be second best if he went with Diana.
I would have liked it better if she threw him out whilst explaining what had really happened, divorce him, let Diana know that's all hers now and then marry someone who thinks she's worth a dozen over any woman, I thought the ending as usual was very quick and I still didn't see him apologise to her, not at all satisfying and it's all to do with that comment lol.
December 31, 2023
Not one of my favorite Neels books. This is definitely one where the heroine is pathetic and so needy you have to wonder how she'll survive. But what I really didn't like was that it was apparently OK for the hero to jump to conclusions and listen to the evil OW and berate his wife very harshly and without reason. But when the heroine jumped to a conclusion, well, that's it for the hero. They need time apart to decide what they really want. What I really wanted at that point was to give him a nice lecture about hypocrisy and marriage requiring a certain level of communication. Not to mention forgiveness.
So, I'll just say I'm not really a fan of this one.
NB - If you enjoy Neel's books join the conversation at the GR group Betty Neels Fanatics. See you there!
So, I'll just say I'm not really a fan of this one.
NB - If you enjoy Neel's books join the conversation at the GR group Betty Neels Fanatics. See you there!
November 9, 2015
I'm a longtime Betty Neels' reader. I found The Right Kind of Girl refreshing. For once the hero wasn't a Dutch doctor! He's an English doctor!
And Emma isn't a nurse, but a paid companion to a very spoiled wealthy old woman.
Of course our long-suffering Emma deserves to be rescued and so Dr. Wyatt does.
But even though Emma is always humble, she's not a pushover. Her strength shines through.
I enjoyed this gentle read as I always do when reading a Betty Neels' classic romance.
And Emma isn't a nurse, but a paid companion to a very spoiled wealthy old woman.
Of course our long-suffering Emma deserves to be rescued and so Dr. Wyatt does.
But even though Emma is always humble, she's not a pushover. Her strength shines through.
I enjoyed this gentle read as I always do when reading a Betty Neels' classic romance.
June 22, 2019
Emma Trent agrees to marry Sir Paul Wyatt in a marriage of convenience, which seems to be the answer to her lonely situation after the loss of her mother. The doctor seems determined to convince her to marry him and Emma decides that their mutual respect and friendship will be the basis of a happy life together, with the hope of a child and family of her own one day in the future. Like many men, Paul is blind to the subtle cruelty of another woman who he admires and takes her flattering words, personally sympathetic behaviour, and beautiful looks at face value, as evidence of true worthiness. He sets up the perfect storm in his new marriage by asking his wife to work as a volunteer at such a woman's shelter for orphaned children and proceeds blind and stupid to the comparative and competitive situation he has created for his insecure wife and the other woman that he admires so much for her superficial appearance of perfection.
He believes the words of this woman against his own wife and says things in anger to his wife that are unforgivable. Something along the lines of "she is worth a dozen of you". This really walks the line of being unforgivable. I understand that men who have explosive temperaments are liable to come out with some truly nasty stuff when their tempers are roused, but Paul never ever makes it clear just how wrong he is in his stupid behaviour and treatment of his wife who, without family, income or a paying job of her own, is truly at his mercy of his being the dominant partner in the relationship and wielding all the power. From the outside, he is a man to be revered and celebrated because of his up front and obvious worthiness in the doing of his job and helping others. Such a shame that behind closed doors, he cannot extend that same sympathy, loyalty and care to the woman he pursued to be his wife.
To be honest, I was disgusted by his character. Emma was dumb to put up with it for as long as she did. Men of high intelligence can be incredibly dumb. Allowing egotistical males, who are constantly told that the sun shines out of every orifice by every other woman in their lives, to get away with any type of poor behaviour is a recipe for disaster. Unfortunately such men frequently chose to marry a woman that they think they can rescue as well as love, and do not take into account that such women, who care deeply enough to make allowances for the exigencies of being a highly successful doctor's wife, eventually wise up and grow a backbone and become tired of always being told exactly how they should live their lives. This leads to problems when the rescuer feels slighted when his superhero personae is not fully appreciated. If you think my response to this book is more than a little pointed, you may guess that I speak with some considerable personal authority on this subject. Mind you, given I am extremely exasperated by the lack of emotional intelligence and excess of paternalism recently displayed by my own dear doctor, reading this and then writing this review was probably usefully cathartic. Not one of my favourite stories from Betty Neels.
He believes the words of this woman against his own wife and says things in anger to his wife that are unforgivable. Something along the lines of "she is worth a dozen of you". This really walks the line of being unforgivable. I understand that men who have explosive temperaments are liable to come out with some truly nasty stuff when their tempers are roused, but Paul never ever makes it clear just how wrong he is in his stupid behaviour and treatment of his wife who, without family, income or a paying job of her own, is truly at his mercy of his being the dominant partner in the relationship and wielding all the power. From the outside, he is a man to be revered and celebrated because of his up front and obvious worthiness in the doing of his job and helping others. Such a shame that behind closed doors, he cannot extend that same sympathy, loyalty and care to the woman he pursued to be his wife.
To be honest, I was disgusted by his character. Emma was dumb to put up with it for as long as she did. Men of high intelligence can be incredibly dumb. Allowing egotistical males, who are constantly told that the sun shines out of every orifice by every other woman in their lives, to get away with any type of poor behaviour is a recipe for disaster. Unfortunately such men frequently chose to marry a woman that they think they can rescue as well as love, and do not take into account that such women, who care deeply enough to make allowances for the exigencies of being a highly successful doctor's wife, eventually wise up and grow a backbone and become tired of always being told exactly how they should live their lives. This leads to problems when the rescuer feels slighted when his superhero personae is not fully appreciated. If you think my response to this book is more than a little pointed, you may guess that I speak with some considerable personal authority on this subject. Mind you, given I am extremely exasperated by the lack of emotional intelligence and excess of paternalism recently displayed by my own dear doctor, reading this and then writing this review was probably usefully cathartic. Not one of my favourite stories from Betty Neels.
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September 14, 2013A few weeks ago I was chatting with a woman who like's the blog's Facebook page and she recommended Betty Neels to me because I was looking to expand my sweet reads library and it just so happened that my local used bookstore had a moving sale almost around the same time so I was able to score The Right Kind of Girl for 25 cents.
Anyways, since I love when people comment on the page I decided to give this one a try since I needed a quick and easy read I decided to go with this one. I knew right off the bat that the book wasn't going to be one of my steamy romance and it was nice to read something cozy and sweet for once.
Emma Trent is your average 25 year old woman living and working in rural England where she's practically taking care of everyone but herself. Not that she's a mess or anything, she's just one of those people that gives and gives. I thought Emma was exceptionally sweet and I really liked that about her. Unfortunately for Emma, tragedy strikes and her mother dies unexpectedly leaving her in a financial hole which Sir Paul Wyatt offers to bail her out of. Sir Paul is in his 40s and completely self sufficient and is looking for a companion so he proposes marriage to our young heroine, though not out of love but out of convenience.
The thing about this love story is that even though I wasn't expecting anything hot and heavy I would have liked the characters to have some passion for each other. Paul completely took advantage of Emma's youth and naivete. She obviously cared deeply for him but all he seemed to do is treat her like a child. However, Emma was partly to blame because the poor girl had very little backbone for much of the novel and I wanted to slap her about a bit and tell her to put her big girl panties on but things between her and Sir Paul seemed to work out by the end of the book.
Overall, I wasn't overly impressed by The Right Kind of Girl. It was a cozy and sweet which I loved, and Emma was a great character but I just couldn't commit to the romance aspect of the book. I thought the whole story line was a little jumbled and it seemed to go from naught to 100 kilometers an hour with the drama and angst that I felt made the story lose some of it's charm. That being said I still found it enjoyable and I'm glad that I gave an author I hadn't read before a try. This one might not have been the best book for me to be introduced to the author's writing style but I do look forward to reading another book by Neels soon.
I would recommend this book to fans of clean, contemporary, sweet romances. Also fans of 1990's contemporary Harlequin books should give this a try. This was a good little book that could be read on a cool fall day with a warm cup of tea.
Anyways, since I love when people comment on the page I decided to give this one a try since I needed a quick and easy read I decided to go with this one. I knew right off the bat that the book wasn't going to be one of my steamy romance and it was nice to read something cozy and sweet for once.
Emma Trent is your average 25 year old woman living and working in rural England where she's practically taking care of everyone but herself. Not that she's a mess or anything, she's just one of those people that gives and gives. I thought Emma was exceptionally sweet and I really liked that about her. Unfortunately for Emma, tragedy strikes and her mother dies unexpectedly leaving her in a financial hole which Sir Paul Wyatt offers to bail her out of. Sir Paul is in his 40s and completely self sufficient and is looking for a companion so he proposes marriage to our young heroine, though not out of love but out of convenience.
The thing about this love story is that even though I wasn't expecting anything hot and heavy I would have liked the characters to have some passion for each other. Paul completely took advantage of Emma's youth and naivete. She obviously cared deeply for him but all he seemed to do is treat her like a child. However, Emma was partly to blame because the poor girl had very little backbone for much of the novel and I wanted to slap her about a bit and tell her to put her big girl panties on but things between her and Sir Paul seemed to work out by the end of the book.
Overall, I wasn't overly impressed by The Right Kind of Girl. It was a cozy and sweet which I loved, and Emma was a great character but I just couldn't commit to the romance aspect of the book. I thought the whole story line was a little jumbled and it seemed to go from naught to 100 kilometers an hour with the drama and angst that I felt made the story lose some of it's charm. That being said I still found it enjoyable and I'm glad that I gave an author I hadn't read before a try. This one might not have been the best book for me to be introduced to the author's writing style but I do look forward to reading another book by Neels soon.
I would recommend this book to fans of clean, contemporary, sweet romances. Also fans of 1990's contemporary Harlequin books should give this a try. This was a good little book that could be read on a cool fall day with a warm cup of tea.
June 23, 2009
Emma Trent and Dr. Paul Wyatt meet when Emma's mother has a medical emergency and needs immediate surgery. They cross paths a few times after that. When Emma's life is turned upside down by tragedy, Paul offers to marry her, a marriage of convenience. Emma agrees even though she doesn't love Paul. Gradually she begins to fall in love with him, but what about his relationship with Diana, who is far more sophisticated and beautiful than Emma could ever hope to be?
I'm not terribly fond of "marriage of convenience" romance novels, but Betty Neels pulls this off, mainly because she lets us know early on that Paul is in love with Emma and is willing to wait for Emma to fall in love with him. It's nice have some insight into his feelings and it's fun waiting for Emma to realize she has been in love with him all along!
I love reading Betty Neels' books because I know what to expect when I read them: a nice, sweet romance. She never disappoints!
I'm not terribly fond of "marriage of convenience" romance novels, but Betty Neels pulls this off, mainly because she lets us know early on that Paul is in love with Emma and is willing to wait for Emma to fall in love with him. It's nice have some insight into his feelings and it's fun waiting for Emma to realize she has been in love with him all along!
I love reading Betty Neels' books because I know what to expect when I read them: a nice, sweet romance. She never disappoints!
September 24, 2017
Fue mi primera novela de la señora Neels y luego confundí su apellido con Darcy (?), así que no supe por qué Emma Darcy de repente ya no escribía tan lindo como en esta novela. Pasaron años hasta que volví a saber de ella y me enamoré de su manera de escribir, de sus personajes imperfectos, de sus doctores fríos y sus heroínas luchadoras y corrientes, junto con los perros y gatos en la campiña inglesa.
Este doctor es incluso más frío que los otros, y me dio mucha pena que discutiera con la pobre Emma Trent. Pero es una buena historia para pasar el rato.
Este doctor es incluso más frío que los otros, y me dio mucha pena que discutiera con la pobre Emma Trent. Pero es una buena historia para pasar el rato.
December 30, 2023
The lack of communication was too much for me in the end.
I may not have the reading stamina for BN’s books anymore.
True there was more plot movement than in most of her books.
Interesting gypsy/travelers scene.
Part of a combo book. This was the first story and a poor pick (she was a prolific writer) imho.
I did like that they went to church twice !
Paul should have gotten some relationship advice from somebody though. He muffed it for sure.
Setting: all in Britain .. Cotswolds .. lots of moor walks with dogs. c2014.
I may not have the reading stamina for BN’s books anymore.
True there was more plot movement than in most of her books.
Interesting gypsy/travelers scene.
Part of a combo book. This was the first story and a poor pick (she was a prolific writer) imho.
I did like that they went to church twice !
Paul should have gotten some relationship advice from somebody though. He muffed it for sure.
Setting: all in Britain .. Cotswolds .. lots of moor walks with dogs. c2014.
October 29, 2020
Loved it, Loved it, Loved it so much.
February 8, 2018
Sir Paul started out just being helpful/dutiful...then he was just being nice like good manners, it seemed. So his sudden proposal really came from nowhere and baffling. If I were Emma I'd think he was pitying me...
Anyway there were little clues he felt more deeply for her than he let show. By the second half and last third we did get his point of view and that he actually loved Emma but was trying to play it cool in order not to frighten her off. ..he did propose a marriage of convenience without love.
I just get so mad at them. Why the hell could they not just TALK? He was so quick to believe the evil Diana Pearson and got angry without hearing Emma's version. I get that he was worried and thus angry but when Emma erroneously thought he had spent the night with Diana instead of being stuck in surgery after the highway pile up, he was angry and hurt that Emma had not trusted him. Hello! Sauce for the goose and gander! The worst was he said "Diana is worth a dozen of you." Right after in his head he realised he was too hard on her, but he never apologised for this whole event, even after finding out the truth. The ending was too soon, he needed to grovel more!
So frustrating at this contrived misunderstanding and conflict when it could be avoided if they had simply spoken up...instead they spent days on meaningless small talks. Argh!
SPOILERS
It was so tragic the way Emma's mother just died so instantly, AFTER recovering from the peptic ulcer surgery! So tragic but at least it was a painless death for her...I hope. Poor Emma.
Anyway there were little clues he felt more deeply for her than he let show. By the second half and last third we did get his point of view and that he actually loved Emma but was trying to play it cool in order not to frighten her off. ..he did propose a marriage of convenience without love.
I just get so mad at them. Why the hell could they not just TALK? He was so quick to believe the evil Diana Pearson and got angry without hearing Emma's version. I get that he was worried and thus angry but when Emma erroneously thought he had spent the night with Diana instead of being stuck in surgery after the highway pile up, he was angry and hurt that Emma had not trusted him. Hello! Sauce for the goose and gander! The worst was he said "Diana is worth a dozen of you." Right after in his head he realised he was too hard on her, but he never apologised for this whole event, even after finding out the truth. The ending was too soon, he needed to grovel more!
So frustrating at this contrived misunderstanding and conflict when it could be avoided if they had simply spoken up...instead they spent days on meaningless small talks. Argh!
SPOILERS
It was so tragic the way Emma's mother just died so instantly, AFTER recovering from the peptic ulcer surgery! So tragic but at least it was a painless death for her...I hope. Poor Emma.
December 26, 2017
I've read dozens of Betty Neels books and I have to say I was a bit disappointed by this book. The story itself was sweet, clean and typical Betty Neels style - a plain Jane with no prospects is offered a marriage of convenience by a prominent surgeon - but the book was entirely ruined by one line uttered by the good doctor. . Now, I might have been able to get over that if there had been a lot of grovelling, but he doesn't apologise at all. He takes another woman's word over Emma's, blows up at her, says something dreadful, and not once does he admit that he shouldn't have behaved like that. Even later in the book where he watches her sleeping curled up in a ball with a tear stained face, I would have at least like to have read about how guilty he felt, but no such luck. I would have given it a much higher rating if there had at least been a decent apology from him. Emma needed a bit more of a backbone too though. It annoyed me that she didn't stand up for herself more.
As always, they only declare their love for one another in the last 2 pages and then the story comes to an abrupt end. I wish Betty Neels had epilogues in her books - it would be nice to get a glimpse into their lives in the future.
Still worth reading, but definitely not my favourite of her books.
As always, they only declare their love for one another in the last 2 pages and then the story comes to an abrupt end. I wish Betty Neels had epilogues in her books - it would be nice to get a glimpse into their lives in the future.
Still worth reading, but definitely not my favourite of her books.
May 9, 2016
I really liked the story, the characters, and especially the writing style. It was rather old-fashioned, but not in a stodgy way. It was detailed and relationship centered. All this said, the ending spoiled the book for me. I don't think this is a spoiler, because I am not saying how it ended. The reason that I didn't like the ending, is because the book ended as though someone was telling the story one minute, then suddenly stood up, said good-bye, and walked away. The ending was so short that it was completely unsatisfying. Normally, a less than detailed ending is irritating, but it doesn't ruin the book. But since this book was written at a skillfully slow pace, the abrupt ending really did spoil the entire story. I'd like to read some fan fiction with an extended ending.
October 6, 2011
1995. This must be one of her worst, perhaps the books get more repetitive, more stereotyped and more imitative [of earlier works:] as the author got older? The only original bits I found were two references to feminism as something the characters did not want to be associated with!
I'd like to know whether any of her early books are not just her same-old same-old. Somehow I have only been able to get ahold of later books and they are all the same. Well, I've had enough now, have memorized the plot and the characters!
I'd like to know whether any of her early books are not just her same-old same-old. Somehow I have only been able to get ahold of later books and they are all the same. Well, I've had enough now, have memorized the plot and the characters!
December 30, 2013
This review is for The Right Kind of Girl. Like all Betty Neels books this is about a marriage of convenience. Sir Paul Wyatt is a wealthy consultant who marries Emma Trent , a down on her luck , plain girl. They have many misunderstandings along the way to marital bliss.
I like Betty's books for quick, relaxing reading in between the other books I read. They are nice to sit down with a cup of tea , and go into another world. Great to de-stress with.
I like Betty's books for quick, relaxing reading in between the other books I read. They are nice to sit down with a cup of tea , and go into another world. Great to de-stress with.
October 9, 2014
do so love this author. one less star for backstabbing secondary character.
January 17, 2020
I read The Right Kind of Girl about a year ago as I decided to read all of Betty Neels's romance novels (all 134 of them!). This one bugged me and I decided to reread and write a longer, more thorough review. (The full review is here: https://www.morebooksthantime.com/the...)
Betty Neels was a best-selling romance author for about 30 years, publishing 3-5 perfectly clean novels a year. Her books win places in our hearts because she cared about her characters and so do we. Most of her heroines feel like real people, albeit with the usual contrived plot points, and many heroes/love interests are pretty complete too. (The men are rarely as well-developed or as believable as the women, unfortunately.)
The Right Kind of Girl has many excellent and some just awful spots. The first third of the book is Emma's story. Emma lives with her mom, barely making it on her mom's pension and Emma's tiny wage as a companion to a nasty rich woman. Emma has plenty of spirit and backbone, despite not being one to put herself forward in any way, and she does what she needs to do when her mom has a perforated ulcer. Our hero, Paul, is a doctor who saves her mom's life and gives Emma rides to the hospital. He gets to know her and falls in love with this gentle, kind girl.
The bad parts of the book are because Paul is an idiot. He knows Emma isn't real confident, he knows she is not one to show off, yet he believes nasty Diana who tells him Emma grabbed a starring, almost-martyr role in helping a band of tinkers, despite Diana pleading with her to wait. Uh huh. Paul says some terrible things to Emma, things that reinforce the lies Diana is telling her about Paul and Diana. Then Paul is furious that Emma doesn't trust him.
I'm going to talk to Paul now: Please. Wake up. Emma doesn't really believe you're having an affair but after you told her that Diana is worth a dozen of her, and Diana tells her that you're coming over in the evening, what exactly is she supposed to think? Sure you were actually saving lives in the ER, but get a grip, buddy. You can't say such horrible things to your wife and expect her to think you value her.
OK, back to the review. This is a good example of Neels' novels. We have well-written, interesting minor characters who move the story along, a devious and vicious Other Woman, and kind and good Emma and a dashing hero (who is also rich, good looking, successful, etc, etc.). Most Neels heroes are doctors and all are handsome and rich. The girls don't really care about the rich/good-looking/successful aspects, aside from worrying that they might not be good enough.
Most Neels' heroines are attractive but not pretty, and all are loving, gentle, smart enough but not "clever", hard-working, strong-willed, self-sufficient, kind and generous. The books are old-fashioned in that the girls tend not to hold the men as accountable for any stray nastiness as they hold themselves. None of her novels have sex or blasphemy yet none of the characters are good-goody two-shoes types. When you think about what Neels managed to do with basic plots (ok, some are a little far fetched), 197 pages and the obligatory happy ending, it's truly an amazing accomplishment.
I will try and post reviews of most or all the Neels novels. Another source that is excellent and lots of fun to read is The Uncrushable Jersey Dress blog, here: http://everyneelsthing.blogspot.com/p....
Betty Neels was a best-selling romance author for about 30 years, publishing 3-5 perfectly clean novels a year. Her books win places in our hearts because she cared about her characters and so do we. Most of her heroines feel like real people, albeit with the usual contrived plot points, and many heroes/love interests are pretty complete too. (The men are rarely as well-developed or as believable as the women, unfortunately.)
The Right Kind of Girl has many excellent and some just awful spots. The first third of the book is Emma's story. Emma lives with her mom, barely making it on her mom's pension and Emma's tiny wage as a companion to a nasty rich woman. Emma has plenty of spirit and backbone, despite not being one to put herself forward in any way, and she does what she needs to do when her mom has a perforated ulcer. Our hero, Paul, is a doctor who saves her mom's life and gives Emma rides to the hospital. He gets to know her and falls in love with this gentle, kind girl.
The bad parts of the book are because Paul is an idiot. He knows Emma isn't real confident, he knows she is not one to show off, yet he believes nasty Diana who tells him Emma grabbed a starring, almost-martyr role in helping a band of tinkers, despite Diana pleading with her to wait. Uh huh. Paul says some terrible things to Emma, things that reinforce the lies Diana is telling her about Paul and Diana. Then Paul is furious that Emma doesn't trust him.
I'm going to talk to Paul now: Please. Wake up. Emma doesn't really believe you're having an affair but after you told her that Diana is worth a dozen of her, and Diana tells her that you're coming over in the evening, what exactly is she supposed to think? Sure you were actually saving lives in the ER, but get a grip, buddy. You can't say such horrible things to your wife and expect her to think you value her.
OK, back to the review. This is a good example of Neels' novels. We have well-written, interesting minor characters who move the story along, a devious and vicious Other Woman, and kind and good Emma and a dashing hero (who is also rich, good looking, successful, etc, etc.). Most Neels heroes are doctors and all are handsome and rich. The girls don't really care about the rich/good-looking/successful aspects, aside from worrying that they might not be good enough.
Most Neels' heroines are attractive but not pretty, and all are loving, gentle, smart enough but not "clever", hard-working, strong-willed, self-sufficient, kind and generous. The books are old-fashioned in that the girls tend not to hold the men as accountable for any stray nastiness as they hold themselves. None of her novels have sex or blasphemy yet none of the characters are good-goody two-shoes types. When you think about what Neels managed to do with basic plots (ok, some are a little far fetched), 197 pages and the obligatory happy ending, it's truly an amazing accomplishment.
I will try and post reviews of most or all the Neels novels. Another source that is excellent and lots of fun to read is The Uncrushable Jersey Dress blog, here: http://everyneelsthing.blogspot.com/p....
August 21, 2020
I found this Betty Neels to be romantic, but not so much as some others. Someone in another review mentioned something Sir Paul said to Emma, the heroine. I realize which remark she meant, and it was very mean for a Neels hero. He redeemed himself at the end, of course, but how he could have uttered those words to an innocent wife is beyond me. Ms. Neels should have used less mean and hurtful words, I think. I did like some of the lesser characters: Maisie at the baby clinic, Mrs. Parfitt, Sir Paul's outspoken housekeeper. Emma was a wonderful heroine, self-effacing, but strong, kind and compassionate. She loved Paul, whatever he said or did, maybe a bit too much at times.
May 4, 2023
Oh no, a Betty Neels' book that I didn't like! They are rare indeed, but man, this one was a slog. The H is the biggest cold-fish going and had condemned the h to living alone in a big house while he works from dawn till midnight 7 days a week. He never shows her affection, barely talks to her, doesn't let her do anything, judges her, tells her off, tells her the OW is worth a dozen of her and never apologizes for it, and then SHE's the one groveling at the end. It's one of those romances when I WISH she had just left him and gone off to live an amazing life of her own.
April 8, 2020
I enjoyed this story of misunderstandings and unrequited (till the HEA) love between Paul, a consultant surgeon and Emma, a resourceful woman, whom he meets at a very difficult time in her life. They embark on a marriage of convenience but things go awry when they each secretly fall in love with the other but feel like they can’t let each other know.
This is another gentle, no heat romance from Betty Neels and a pretty soothing old-school read.
This is another gentle, no heat romance from Betty Neels and a pretty soothing old-school read.
July 2, 2020
One word- frustrating. Sir Paul is an idiot and for all I care he can have Diana and I hope she makes him utterly miserable. Emma could do much better. There was NO communication whatsoever. The only highlights to this book was Maisie and the cat's name- Queenie, which I think is a good name for a cat. Other than that, this was the most annoying read from this author and I can only hope it gets better from here on out.
March 10, 2018
Reliable brain candy
Same old story. Not meets girl. Nothing substantial. Sometimes, that's all you need. You can count on Betty to delivee.
Same old story. Not meets girl. Nothing substantial. Sometimes, that's all you need. You can count on Betty to delivee.
April 12, 2018
I really enjoyed this Betty Neels book.
July 29, 2018
Lovely
If you enjoy your romances clean, light, fluffy and vintage then you will enjoy the wonderful work of Betty Neels
If you enjoy your romances clean, light, fluffy and vintage then you will enjoy the wonderful work of Betty Neels
August 20, 2018
Sweet
September 7, 2018
Excellent
Another great story by Betty Neels. I just love her stories. So sweet and in a way very undemanding. No terribly intreging plots. Just a simple love story.
Another great story by Betty Neels. I just love her stories. So sweet and in a way very undemanding. No terribly intreging plots. Just a simple love story.
March 26, 2021
Nice one; English instead of Dutch hero for a change set in familiar county. Enjoyed.
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