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| Hey Girl. I know you were really bummed that Stormy Springtime went down to The Secret Pool. Let's hop in my Bentley and take a drive down to the cottage. You can fall asleep on the way if you want to. |
Eek! Another Friday night, late, late, late. This time my delay involved a trip to the airport and hospital (no injuries in The Family van Voorhees--a friend's son is suffering a staph infection (yesterday he suffered it all over his shoes in my car!) and they needed a ride home) and a date with my honey (it's always a good time for romance!). But enough about me:
Gold Medalist Rose Comely of A Girl Named Rose beat Two Weeks to Remember
Sorrowful Secret Pool beat Stormy Springtime
Off With the Old Love narrowly beat out The Doubtful Marriage
Lemonade showers of The Gentle Awakening conquered The Course of True Love
When Two Paths Meet vanquished Paradise for Two
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| Yes. They. Do. |
And Section Nine Voting:
The Fateful Bargain vs. No Need to Say Goodbye
The Chain of Destiny vs. Hilltop Tryst
The Convenient Wife vs. A Suitable Match
The Girl With Green Eyes vs. Roses Have Thorns
The Most Marvelous Summer vs. The Final Touch
A convenient bit of insomnia, and here I am voting first again. I hope no one thinks I'm a queue-jumper.
ReplyDeleteOkay, in The War of The Boring Books, I gotta give it to No Need to Say Goodbye because at least I remember it. Actually, I am unreasonably fond of the "making a home" books, where the heroine inherits (or the hero fakes an inheritance for her of) a cottage and she then tinkers with it. This is done best in Henrietta's Castle, but I like all of them.
The Chain of Destiny beats Hilltop Tryst, mostly because The Chain of Destiny is okay as it is, whereas Hilltop Tryst has to bring in a YOUNGER man as a ringer, and I dislike that insult to the heroine's intelligence.
The Convenient Wife whups A Suitable Match's tookus. Just saying.
Roses Have Thorns pricks The Girl With Green Eyes (not literally, you understand)
And The Most Marvelous Summer adds up to way more than The Final Touch.
Done!
Now, Betty Magdalen, there is no such thing as a Boring Betty Book. I'll appropriate a political lesson (don't worry, Fellow Bettys, I'm maneuvering far from those rocky shoals) I learned from a friend of mine who was born in Nigeria and lived there during its turbulent and dangerous 60s and 70s before emigrating to the U.S., where he has been a citizen for some time.--"The U.S. has good presidents and better presidents."
DeleteBetty wrote "good books and better books." *laugh
One of the merely "good" presidents went to my alma mater: Chester A. Arthur. ("Who?" "Precisely.")
DeleteBut I take your point. I don't agree (there are some boring books in The Canon; I suspect even The Great Betty would have admitted as much), but I do acknowledge the point you make.
Betty Barbara here--
ReplyDeleteWell, another group where I a going to have to take a peek at some of the reviews to remember which one is which.
And, wouldn't you know, I don't care for either of the first pair. But dad's need for new hips in The Fateful Bargain trumps dense Louise and her annoying sister Zoe.
Chain of Destiny--because I rather enjoy Betty's books that feature our heroine going from job to job(like Waiting for Deborah, etc)
Suitable Match for the win!
And an easy one --Roses Have Thorns is one of my favorites.
Finally Most Marvelous Summer, another winner.
Ah, that wasn't so hard after all.
I'm a bit sad that some of my "comfort reads" are pitted against each other again, and I'm choosing the lesser of two least favorites in other cases, but here goes.
ReplyDeleteI'll give my nod to Fateful Bargain. I had qualms about the medical care "trade," Zoe in NNTSG just drove me NUTS and Louise was just a bit too dim.
Hilltop Tryst. No contest for me.
The Convenient Wife, a comfort read for me, although I dont mind ASM.
Roses have Thorns ... I think.
The Final Touch.
I hate to flog this hunking Iditerdog, but Betty Keira, you picked a photo with dark glasses!!! When you could have shown this glamour shot and those
ReplyDeleteSlate Grey Peepers?¿¡!
And I hardily approve of all the votes for Roses Have Thorns, my personal #1. Thanks gals! I get tempted to start voting, but at this point it just doesn't seem sporting. I'll continue to be Switzerland and gaze at the Swedish Hunk.
Boy oh boy! And that dimple! It's like a crevasse!
DeleteI know! Now we've got our mental picture for 'formidable craggy countenances.' Before seeing Professor Van der Buser I couldn't imagine someone craggy being handsome. ;-)
DeleteWhen I saw the new (Slate Grey Peepers) picture I thought very Swiss because I was immediately reminded of a well-known Swiss showmaster.
DeleteBetty Anonymous
Ooops, he's Swiss. So being Switzerland sounds even better!
ReplyDeleteNNTSG...Zoe bugs me, but I do love the housekeeping/decorating bits
ReplyDeleteTCOD...I like the string of jobs
TCW (barely)...I love the antique necklace
RHT...I adore that Sarah gets a job as a housemaid
TFT...Tyco & Charity!
No Need to Say Goodbye
ReplyDeleteHilltop Tryst (One of my faves. I liked Chain of Destiny, too, but mostly because Suzannah and Guy make another appearance in the Neelsdom as a very happy couple and family).
I can't vote on the rest. :( Time to hit up Amazon?
Amazon, eBay, Barnes and Noble.... :) Seriously, there are some good prices on eBay, perhaps more so than the other two.
DeleteBetty AnoninTX
If you have the simultaneous problems of too many books to be disposed of, and some books you desperately need, might I suggest Paperback Swap? I've had no trouble getting extra Bettys for friends like Betty Janet.
DeleteThanks, Betty TX and Betty Magdalen. I will check out the Paperback Swap. I've bought a couple at eBay, but if I buy a 1-cent used book and have to pay $3.99 shipping, I would rather buy a new $4.20 book from Harlequin with zero shipping charge.
DeletePlus (alright--I admit!), I'm kinda a book snob. I like the watercolor covers of the later releases. I have two Neels books that are not the watercolors (the ones from eBay). My toddler evidently feels the same way I do. She stacks and arranges my Betty Neels (the way most kids stack blocks) EXCEPT for those two outliers. Those stay on the shelf. I had my husband take pictures of the moppet performing this entertaining but frustrating activity. Will e-mail to the Founding Bettys once I can get on my husband's computer (not an easy feat).
*The Fateful Bargain - A bit "meh" about both of these. (Of course a "meh" Betty book is much better than most others.)
ReplyDelete*The Chain of Destiny - I like how Guy takes care of Suzannah.
*The Convenient Wife - One of my top ten. Love Venetia. Love how Duert didn't have a chance against love. Love the old necklace Duert buys for her. Love the ending. Great story.
*Rose Have Thorns - Another top ten for me. Absolutely love this one from start to end. I love how Sarah goes to work as a maid and how horrified Radolf is. Love the part where Charles and Sarah caught in the rabbit snares and rescued by Radolf. Being a cat person/lover, I always tear up when Sarah says "he'll die." Love the ending with the servants watching out the window.
*The Final Touch - Really like this one too. Love Tyco and how he takes care of Charity. Cor's a jerk. The girls are sweet. A great read.
Betty AnoninTX
I sometimes wonder how many books are actually in my top ten. I need to write them down and ,uhm, count them. We should list our top ten in a post someday.
DeleteBetty AnoninTX again, just talking to herself because the cat in my lap is ignoring me
PS I really love A Suitable Match, too, but it's A Convenient Wife by a nose.
DeleteOff to bed to read Henrietta's Castle. Haven't read it but once.
Betty AnoninTX, for the last time tonight, I swear.
Henrietta's Castle only once, Betty AnoninTX?!? Accidentally running into a review of it on a heretofore unknown to me TUJD a couple of years ago, with the graphic of stick figures in front of the castle and the crashing plane behind, sent me in paroxysms of guffawing and subsequent addiction to TUJD. Enjoy!
DeleteBetty AnoninTX,
DeleteYou tear up when she says "he'll die", my lip goes into full quiver mode a moment later when she says "Charles is purring".....poor kitty.
Betty von Susie
Oh, I know, Betty von Susie! Poor portly Charles. Some of my furballs are portly, including the one draped across my lap once again. I will say that portly furballs are much better than hot water bottles, heating pads, etc.
DeleteOk, so I finished Henrietta's Castle. Love the romance. Love Henrietta. Love Marnix. Love the house. Love the wall leaping. Why didn't Henrietta wear the garnet necklace?? I would have. Can't stand the plane crash part of the plot. I think that's why I read it only once. But, I will read it again for sure. I'll just skip pp. 97 - 110. I looked up the review with the stick figure graphic, Betty JoDee. Hilarious!
Betty AnoninTX
I'm so pleased to have found some sister Bettys. Just call me Betty Kim. I'm pretty sure I've read most of the novels (I started reading Betty back in the 70's) I'm currently buying them as they become available on my Kindle. I'm not up enough on them to choose favorites over others yet but I do remember plot lines and characters once I start to read them again. Its like I go into a Betty zone or something. Its almost hypnotic. I always end up wanting to simplify my life, make do with less and wish for a handsome man to rescue me. Also, could you live without a fridge?
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Betty Kim! (Friendly warning: Beware of The Hasty Marriage. On the other hand, Heaven Is Gentle should be a priority.--This should wake up Betty Keira!)
DeleteBetty Kim, welcome! I would not advise getting rid of your fridge. Remember, AFTER the heroines married the heroes, they always had every mod con that their cook's heart desires.
DeleteThat's right, Betty Lulu! Their cook's heart. They got cooks! That's what I call a mod con...
Deletere The Hasty Marriage: The more Betty JoDee hates it, the higher up my 'favorites' list it climbs. (Sticking tongue in a Easterly direction...)
And welcome Betty Kim!
That HM book... blech! Betty Kim, be sure to read Fate Is Remarkable and Once for All Time, my two most dearly beloved Betty books.
DeleteBetty AnoninTX
Hello, Betty Kim.
DeleteCould you live without a fridge? I wouldn't recommend it. You could but then you might have to live on peany b sandwiches (sorry no jam, oh, wait, you could buy those little packets you find on the breakfast buffet table at some hotels). You'd have to finish all you dinner because you could not store any leftovers. You'd have to drink up your milk, eat up your cheese...
Betty Anonymous
Peany b sandwiches, I am going to start using that immediately, only in TX we call them sam'iches.
DeleteBetty von Susie
P.S. Sounds much better than pindakaas. Peanut cheese? No, thank you for offering.
Pindakaas. I've never thought about it (because it was in my pre-Betty days) but the first peanut butter I ever had, the only kind available at the supermarkets in our area at the time, and which we only bought because the kids in American tv shows all seemed to love peanut butter and we wanted to taste it, was a Dutch brand. So the first peanut butter I ever had was, in fact, pindakaas. Thank you for bringing that to my notice. As for the taste... Well, it has to be said that it was very, how shall I put it, strong?, tart?. (Did they leave the skin on the peanuts?) Anyway, it needed a lot of jam to make it palatable. I prefer North American peany b. Or, homemade peany b, if you can get really good roasted peanuts - used to make some in my food-processor as a student.
DeleteBetty Anonymous
Little kids in Canada call 'em samidges too.
DeleteBetty Anonymous
I wish I could be a little kid eating sam'iches on my granny's front porch again. It sure beat the heck out of this being old and going to work everyday. Only four channels on the TV and there was always something good to watch, versus the 200 + channels of garbage nowadays....
DeleteBetty von Susie
The Fateful Bargain
ReplyDeleteThe Chain of Destiny
The Convenient Wife
Roses Have Thorns
The Final Touch (Though I like TMMS a lot too)
Betty Anonymous
The Fateful Bargain
ReplyDeleteThe Chain of Destiny
A Suitable Match
Roses have Thorns
The Final Touch
The Fateful Bargain-She cried because he likened her to a saucepan on the boil.
ReplyDeleteThe Chain of Destiny-You put something in my cocoa!
The Convenient Wife-I don't think I'm the kind of girl you would fall in love with...(oh,yeah?)
Roses Have Thorns-Charles is purring.Sniff.
The Final Touch-I like to fantasize about throwing Eunice down a staircase while I read it.
Betty von Susie
I also like the "Best of Betty Neels" better. I have only two of the original covers left, and new reprints of those are coming out in June. Right now on eBay there is a set of 32 "Best of..." up for auction. No bidders as of tonight. Starting bid is 5.99.
ReplyDeleteBetty AnoninTX
Oooo! Heading to eBay, but no promises....
DeleteBtw, I'm not the seller, in case anyone wonders! I just did an eBay search to see what was available. I bought many of my Betty books on eBay. I only buy, not sell, much to the disgust of my paypal account. :-)
DeleteBetty AnoninTX
via email:
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting my votes:
The Fateful Bargain wins because its Dutch family trumps Louise's family in No Need to Say Goodbye.
Hilltop Tryst
Suitable Match
Roses Have Thorns may be one of my favorites for can't we all relate to distracted archaeologists for parents? While I do enjoy it, I must cast my vote for Roses Have Thorns for the delightful cast of domestics, the indomitable Lady Wesley, and Sarah's devotion to Charles the cat.
The final two books each have so much to love: how can I decide? The Final Touch includes those sweaters featuring tricky intarsia knitting which should impress anyone with any knitting knowledge. A popular button for sale at wool festivals reads, "I knit so I don't kill people." I know Charity could use that button! And The Most Marvelous Summer has several delightful points: the crazy Fox ffamily, the ffinch family, the excellent ffirst aid for the cook. It's downside is the Rich Brit Doctor. My vote is for The Final Touch.
Betty Adrianne