Betty Neels (born 15 September 1909 in

Leyton Leyton () is a town in east London, England, within the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It borders Walthamstow to the north, Leytonstone to the east, and Stratford to the south, with Clapton, Hackney Wick and Homerton, across the River L ...

, England – d. 7 June 2001 in England) was a prolific British writer of over 134 romance novels (first publication entirely for

Mills & Boon Mills & Boon is a romance imprint of British publisher Harlequin UK Ltd. It was founded in 1908 by Gerald Rusgrove Mills and Charles Boon as a general publisher. The company moved towards escapist fiction for women in the 1930s. In 1971, the ...

in United Kingdom and later reprinted in the North America by

Harlequin Harlequin (; it, Arlecchino ; lmo, Arlechin, Bergamasque pronunciation ) is the best-known of the '' zanni'' or comic servant characters from the Italian '' commedia dell'arte'', associated with the city of Bergamo. The role is traditional ...

), beginning in 1969 and continuing until her death. Her work is known for being particularly chaste.

Biography

Personal life

Evelyn Jessy "Betty" Neels was born on 15 September 1909 in

''Certified copy of an entry of birth'' for Evelyn Jessy Neels (

General Register Office for England and Wales The General Register Office for England and Wales (GRO) is the section of the United Kingdom HM Passport Office responsible for the civil registration of births (including stillbirths), adoptions, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths in Englan ...

) (then part of

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Grea ...

but now in Greater London) to a family with firm roots in the Civil Service. She spent her childhood and youth in Devonshire. 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 Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC; known as ''the QAs'') is the nursing branch of the British Army Medical Services. History Although an "official" nursing service was not established until 1881, the corps traces its heritage t ...

(TANS), which later became the Queen Alexandra Reserves, and was sent to France with the Casualty Clearing Station, until the invasion of France in 1940. She was commissioned into the TANS as a Sister on 30 May 1941. Later she worked in Scotland and

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

, where she met a Dutchman, named Johannes Meijer. They married in 1942 and had a daughter in 1945. The married couple lived in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, and later they moved to the Netherlands for thirteen years, where she resumed her nursing career. When the family returned to England, she continued her nursing. When she retired, she had reached the position of Night Superintendent. Neels died in hospital on 7 June 2001, aged 91.

Writing career

Her first book, ''Sister Peters in Amsterdam'', was published in 1969. Her career with

spanned 30 years, and she continued to write into her 90th year. She wrote 134 novels. Her novels have several recurring themes. The main male and female characters are often brought together by circumstances before love flourishes. The heroine is usually either a Cinderella or a "splendidly built" queen-sized woman. A character will often have expertise in antiques. Family pets are common. The male protagonist is often a Dutch surgeon. Robin Ince has commented on the fact that her heroes are often Dutch. He also notes that some of her books have been re-published under different titles.

Bibliography

Single Novels

*''Sister Peters in Amsterdam'' (1969) *''Amazon in an Apron'' (1969) aka ''A Match for Sister Maggy'' / ''Nurse in Holland'' *''Blow Hot, Blow Cold'' (1970) aka ''Surgeon from Holland'' / ''Visiting Surgeon'' / ''Visiting Consultant'' *''Tempestuous April'' (1970) aka ''Nurse Harriet Goes to Holland'' *''Damsel in Green'' (1970) *''Fate is Remarkable'' (1970) *''Tulips for Augusta'' (1971) *''Tangled Autumn'' (1971) *''The Fifth Day of Christmas'' (1971) *''Tabitha in Moonlight'' (1975) *''Wish with the Candles'' (1972) *''Saturday's Child'' (1972) *''Uncertain Summer'' (1972) *''Victory for Victoria'' (1972) *''Winter of Change'' (1973) *''Cassandra by Chance'' (1973) *''Three for a Wedding'' (1973) *''Stars Through the Mist'' (1973) *''Enchanting Samantha'' (1973) *''The Gemel Ring'' (1974) *''The Magic of Living'' (1974) *''Cruise to a Wedding'' (1974) *''The End of the Rainbow'' (1974) *''A Small Slice of Summer'' (1975) *''Henrietta's Own Castle'' (1975) *''A Star Looks Down'' (1975) *''The Moon for Lavinia'' (1975) *''Cobweb Morning'' (1975) *''Heaven is Gentle'' (1975) *''Roses for Christmas'' (1975) *''The Edge of Winter'' (1976) *''Esmeralda'' (1976) *''A Gem of a Girl'' (1976) *''Grasp a Nettle'' (1977) *''A Matter of Chance'' (1977) *''Pineapple Girl'' (1977) *''The Little Dragon'' (1977) *''The Hasty Marriage'' (1977) *''Britannia All at Sea'' (1978) *''Philomena's Miracle'' (1978) *''Never While the Grass Grows'' (1978) *''Ring in a Teacup'' (1978) *''Sun and Candlelight'' (1979) *''The Promise of Happiness'' (1979) *''Midnight Sun's Magic'' (1979) *''Winter Wedding'' (1979) *''Last April Fair'' (1980) *''The Silver Thaw'' (1980) *''Caroline's Waterloo'' (1980) *''Hannah'' (1980) *''When May Follows'' (1980) *''Not Once But Twice'' (1981) *''An Apple from Eve'' (1981) *''Heaven Round the Corner'' (1981) *''Judith'' (1982) *''A Girl to Love'' (1982) *''All Else Confusion'' (1982) *''A Dream Came True'' (1982) *''Midsummer Star'' (1983) *''Roses and Champagne'' (1983) *''Never Say Goodbye'' (1983) *''Never Too Late'' (1983) *''Once for All Time'' (1984) *''Year's Happy Ending'' (1984) *''Polly'' (1984) *''Heidelberg Wedding'' (1984) *''At the End of the Day'' (1985) *''A Summer Idyll'' (1985) *''Magic in Vienna'' (1985) *''Never the Time and the Place'' (1985) *''A Girl Named Rose'' (1986) *''Two Weeks to Remember'' (1986) *''The Secret Pool'' (1986) *''Stormy Springtime'' (1987) *''Off with the Old Love'' (1987) *''The Doubtful Marriage'' (1987) *''A Gentle Awakening'' (1987) *''The Course of True Love'' (1988) *''When Two Paths Meet'' (1988) *''Paradise for Two'' (1988) *''The Fateful Bargain'' (1989) *''No Need to Say Good-Bye'' (1989) *''The Chain of Destiny'' (1989) *''Hilltop Tryst'' (1989) *''The Convenient Wife'' (1990) *''The Girl with Green Eyes'' (1990) *''A Suitable Match'' (1990) *''Roses Have Thorns'' *''The Most Marvellous Summer'' (1991) *''The Final Touch'' (1991) *''A Little Moonlight'' (1991) *''A Kind of Magic'' (1991) *''An Unlikely Romance'' (1992) *''Romantic Encounter'' (1992) *''The Quiet Professor'' (1992) *''An Old-Fashioned Girl'' (1992) *''The Awakened Heart'' (1993) *''At Odds with Love'' (1993) *''A Girl in a Million'' (1993) *''A Valentine for Daisy'' (1993) *''Dearest Love'' *''A Secret Infatuation'' (1994) *''Wedding Bells for Beatrice'' (1994) *''A Christmas Wish'' *''Waiting for Deborah'' (1994) *''The Bachelor's Wedding'' *''Dearest Mary Jane'' (1994) *''Fate Takes a Hand'' (1995) *''The Right Kind of Girl'' *''The Mistletoe Kiss'' (1997) *''Marrying Mary'' (1996) *''A Kiss for Julie'' (1996) *''The Vicar's Daughter'' (1996) *''Only by Chance(1996) *''The Daughter of the Manor'' (1997) *''Love Can Wait'' (1997) *''The Fortunes of Francesca'' (1997) *''Nanny by Chance'' (1998) *''An Ideal Wife'' (1998) *''A Winter Love Story'' (1998) *''Discovering Daisy'' (1999) *''A Good Wife'' (1999) *''Making Sure of Sarah'' (1999) *''An Independent Woman'' (2001)

The Final Touch Series

#''The Final Touch'' (1991) #''A Happy Meeting'' (1992)

Dr Fforde Series

#''Always and Forever'' (2000) #''The Doctor's Girl'' (2001)

First Class Series Multi-Author

*''Roses Have Thorns'' (1990)

Kids & Kisses Multi-Author

*''A Valentine for Daisy'' (1993)

Family Ties Multi-Author

*''A Christmas Wish'' (1994)

Sealed with a Kiss Multi-Author

*''Dearest Love'' (1995)

Holding Out for a Hero Multi-Author

*''The Bachelor's Wedding'' (1995)

Baby Boon Multi-Author

*''The Right Kind of Girl'' (1995)

White Weddings Multi-Author

*''An Innocent Bride'' (1999) *''Matilda's Wedding'' (2000)

White Wedding Multi-Author

*''Emma's Wedding'' (2001)

Collections

*''Best of Betty Neels: Britannia All at Sea, The Little Dragon'' (1985) * ''Sister Peters in Amsterdam'' / ''Nurse in Holland'' / ''Blow Hot, Blow Cold'' (1989) * ''Christmas Gift Set'' (1998) * ''The Proposal'' / ''Making Sure of Sarah'' (2001) * ''Not Once But Twice'' / ''A Girl Named Rose'' (2002) * ''The Christmas Proposal'' / ''A Christmas Romance'' (2001) * ''Christmas Gift Pack'' (2001) * ''The Most Marvellous Summer'' / ''A Summer Idyll'' (2002) * ''Only by Chance'' / ''A Happy Meeting'' (2002) * ''Tangled Autumn'' / ''The Edge of Winter'' (2002) * ''The Secret Pool'' / ''The Girl with Green Eyes'' (2002) * ''Winter of Change'' / ''A Winter Love Story'' (2002) * ''A Betty Neels Christmas'' (2002) * ''Sun and Candlelight'' / ''A Star Looks Down'' (2003) * ''Matilda's Wedding'' / ''An Innocent Bride'' (2003) * ''Dearest Mary Jane'' / ''Romantic Encounter'' (2003) * ''Last April Fair'' / ''The Course of True Love'' (2003) * ''The Promise of Happiness'' / ''Caroline's Waterloo'' (2003) * ''Sister Peters in Amsterdam'' / ''Emma's Wedding'' (2003) * ''The Christmas Collection'' (2003) * ''Christmas Wishes'' (2003) * ''Betty Neels Bridal Collection'' (2007)

Omnibus in Collaboration

* ''A Wife for Andrew'' / ''Bitter Masquerade'' / ''Fate Is Remarkable'' (1971) (with Lucy Gillen and Margery Hilton) * ''Avenging Angel'' / ''Sown in the Wind'' / ''Cruise to a Wedding'' (1985) (with

Helen Bianchin Helen Bianchin (born 20 February 1939) is a New Zealand-born Australian writer. Since 1975, she has written over 55 romance novels for Mills & Boon. Biography Bianchin was born on 20 February 1939 in New Zealand. She worked as a legal secretar ...

and Jean S. MacLeod) * ''The House in the Foothills'' / ''The Short Engagement'' / ''Henrietta's Own Castle'' (1986) (with Mons Daveson and Marjorie Lewty) * ''The Little Dragon'' / ''Adair of Starlight Peaks'' / ''The Dark Warrior'' (1987) (with

Essie Summers Essie Summers (born Ethel Snelson Summers, 24 July 1912 – 27 August 1998) was a New Zealand writer whose romance novels sold more than 19 million copies in 105 countries. She was known as New Zealand's "Queen of Romance." Writing Despite th ...

and

Mary Wibberley Mary Wibberley ( – 29 December 2013) was an English romantic fiction writer. Born in Worsley, she wrote 48 novels for Mills & Boon Mills & Boon is a romance imprint of British publisher Harlequin UK Ltd. It was founded in 1908 by Geral ...

) * ''Two for the Heart: The Proposal'' / ''The Engagement'' (1994) (with Ellen James) * ''Christmas Miracles'' (1996) (with

Carole Mortimer Carole Mortimer (born 1960 in England) is a popular British writer of over 150 romance novels since 1978. She was one of Mills & Boon's youngest authors, and now is one of their most popular and prolific authors. Biography Carole Mortimer was ...

and

Rebecca Winters Rebecca Brown Burton (born February 14, 1940 in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States) is a popular United States writer of over 75 romance novels under her married name Rebecca Burton, under her complete name Rebecca Brown Burton, and as Rebecc ...

) * ''Nearly Weds!'' (1999): ''Making Sure of Sarah'' (with

Penny Jordan Penelope Halsall (née Jones; 24 November 1946 – 31 December 2011) was a best-selling and prolific English writer of over 200 romance novels. She started writing regency romances as Caroline Courtney, and wrote contemporary romances as Penny ...

, ''They're Wed Again'', and

, ''The Man She'll Marry'') * ''Mistletoe Magic'' (1999) (with

Margaret Way Margaret Way (b. Brisbane d. Cleveland, Queensland, Australia ) was an Australian writer of romance novels and women's fiction. A prolific author, Way wrote more than 120 novels since 1970, many through Mills & Boon, a romance imprint of Briti ...

and

) * ''Mistletoe Miracles: Dearest Eulalia / The Extra-special Gift / The Doorstep Baby'' (2000) (with Catherine George and

Marion Lennox Marion Lennox (born 1953) is a writer of over 110 romance novels. She began publishing in 1990, and has also written romantic novels under another pseudonym, Trisha David. Biography Marion Lennox was born in Australia in 1953. She was raised i ...

) * ''Marrying a Doctor'' (2001) (with Caroline Anderson) * ''The Engagement Effect: An Ordinary Girl'' / ''A Perfect Proposal'' (2001) (with

Liz Fielding Liz Fielding (born in Berkshire, England) is an awarded British writer of over 60 romance novels published by Mills & Boon since 1992. Biography Liz Fielding was born in Berkshire, England, UK. She was educated at a girls' Convent School in ...

) * ''A Christmas To Remember'' (2004) (with

Debbie Macomber Debbie Macomber (born October 22, 1948) is an American author of romance novels and contemporary women's fiction. Six of her novels have become made-for-TV movies and her ''Cedar Cove'' series of novels was adapted into a Cedar Cove (TV series), t ...

and

Jessica Steele Jessica Steele (9 May 1933 – 23 November 2020) was a British author of 88 romance novels that spanned a career over four decades, Her novels have been published by Mills & Boon since 1979 starting with The Icicle Heart. Her last novel was The ...

) * ''The Doubtful Marriage'' / ''A Convenient Marriage'' (2005) (with

) * ''All I Want for Christmas...'' (2005) (with

and

) * ''Christmas Treasures'' (2006) (with Caroline Anderson and

Helen Brooks Rita Bradshaw (born 1949) is a British romance novelist. She wrote historical romances under her real name and contemporary romances under the pseudonym Helen Brooks. Biography Rita Bradshaw was born in 1949 in Northampton, England. She met h ...

) * ''Valentine Love Affairs'' (2006) (with Catherine George)

References

External links

Harlequin Editorial's web-page about Betty NeelsBetty Neels in Fantastic FictionThe Uncrushable Jersey Dress
a blog about Neels {{DEFAULTSORT:Neels, Betty 1909 births 2001 deaths Writers from Devon English romantic fiction writers English women novelists Women romantic fiction writers 20th-century English novelists 20th-century English women writers English nurses