Betty Neels Collection - Book 51

Nightingale series ( )

The heroine had NO backbone. I didn't enjoy this one at all. It made little sense - the marriage of convenience was odd, the writing tone was distant and overly formal, and there was ZIP in the romance department. First, there was the heroine, who seemed quite ridiculous.

Examples:

1. She's one of three sisters and she keeps commenting how she is too "large". Large meaning tall. She states that men are interested in her because of her appearance and her personality, but her tallness stops serious prospects of marriage. What?

2. Then there's the fact that she's a lead nurse at the local hospital and works many hours supervising others. A man she has no interest in that works there invites her to dinner, and too tired to keep resisting, she agrees. Once there he mentions wanting to see her again, and the only way she can think to get out of it is by saying she can't because she's quitting her job and going to visit Holland or wherever. She instantly regrets it as she doesn't want to quit her job. What? This has to be the most awkward reason I've ever heard for being forced to quit a job I've ever seen.

3. She has no backbone at all and won't speak up. When she does slightly she lives in fear she's not being the perfect wife. She doesn't think for herself, has no wants for her own life and feelings.

4. Where is any kind of sex? I understand some Harlequins aren't steamy but it's like they never have it until the end of the book (last page), and the only reason you suppose they may end up having it is the housekeeper talking about seeing four mincepies (whatever this is), which indicates a baby boy. The characters are "going for a walk" so I guess we're assuming they'll finally sleep together, even though they have been married for weeks and sleep in separate bedrooms. There is a total of like 3 kisses in the entire book and they are distant without any feeling.

This books dry writing tone wasn't helped by the story itself being a little dull. There's not much going on. The hero doesn't seem attractive or to hold much personality. There's no signs of this romance toward her or vice versa. Very unusual Harlequin that's a definitive FAIL. ( )

Katrina unwillingly went out with a colleague of her's one night, and to prevent further advances from him, told a lie that forced her to resign from her nursing job. Professor Baron van Tellerinck, when he found out what has happened, offered Kate a marriage of convenience...

I really liked Kate in the beginning of the story because she was strong and capable, but after she married Raf, she stopped being a nurse and lost all her interesting personality to adopt in its place the role of a meek and too-willing-to-please wife. That was very disappointing, however, this was one of the more interesting Neels book I've read.

Note: The characters from Britannia All at Sea make an appearance in this novel. ( )