 |
| Darling, I know. It's like they'd never even seen the original cover of Ring in a Teacup. |
| A Christmas Wish vs. | |
| A Christmas Romance | |
| Henrietta's Own Castle vs. | |
| Dearest Mary Jane | |
| A Kiss for Julie vs. | |
| A Match for Sister Maggy | |
| Not Once But Twice vs. | |
| A Dream Came True | |
| Winter Wedding vs. | |
| Romantic Encounter | |
| Mathilda's Wedding vs. | |
| Never Say Goodbye | |
| Philomena's Miracle vs. | |
| Only By Chance | |
| Midnight Sun's Magic vs. | |
| Fate is Remarkable | |
| Tempestuous April vs. | |
| bye--no contest this week |
The only blow-out was Only By Chance crushing Last April Fair and, happily for my constitution, there were no ties to break.
Now onto the final bracket for this round, The Imperiled Poppets Bracket!
In some ways these first round ones are easy brackets because there are a lot more novels that are Fine and Middling to brush aside. But, there is no getting around the fact that there are a TON of books to consider thoughtfully. After this round, the numbers drop but the heartbreak only burns the more.
As ever, if you need a memory-jog, here's our Book Review Archive.
Always and Forever
ReplyDeleteThe Secret Pool
The Little Dragon
The End of the Rainbow
The Hasty Marriage
Stars Through the Mist
Discovering Daisy
The Convenient Wife
Tabitha in Moonlight
Uncertain Summer
Fate Takes a Hand
Cassandra by Chance
The Promise of Happiness
Once for All Time
An Ideal Wife
Damsel in Green
Roses Have Thorns
None of these choices were heart-rending for me. I will say that reviewing for this bracket made me revisit my angst over The Secret Pool and I'm deciding I may actually reread it. I've only read it once and I was a total mess afterward. Sad tears over poor Lisa, sympathizing tears with Fran, angry tears at Litrik - my feelings ran the gamut.
A Kind of Magic
ReplyDeleteThe Secret Pool
The Little Dragon
The Fortunes of Francesca
Nanncy by Chance
Stars Through the Mist
Pineapple Girl
The Convenient Wife
Tabitha in Moonlight
Roses and Champaign
Fate Takes a Hand
Cassandra by Chance
The Promise of Happiness
Daughter of the Manor
Hilltop Tryst
Damsel in Green
Roses Have Thorns
Some really easy ones this time. The Secret Pool is incredibly sad, but I do like that Betty makes it clear Lisa isn't going to make it. I hate it when authors sideswipe you with a death (Joyce Dingwell, I'm looking at you).
Another easy one was The Little Dragon. Hero went all out to win over the heroine. Perhaps even went a little too far. I'm not quite sure the whole "I'm poor, really, I am, just ignore the huge house and the servants, and the car" was necessary. Surely a visit to the free clinic that he runs (you know he has one, most of the RDDs seem to) would have done enough to convince her that money doesn't equal evil.
Pineapple Girl. I grouse about this one a lot because the hero is just such a clueless idiot. Yeah, I know a lot of the RDDs are when they encounter True Love, but this guy was just a git. But the heroine was adorable, one of my favorites. And I love the meet cute. I just wish I could talk myself into thinking the hero was good enough for the heroine.
Cassandra By Chance and her blind ogre. One of my early favorites. I need to reread it and see if it moves up (or down) in my ratings.
The Promise of Happiness. My all time favorite Betty. It took a little time for me to warm up to it. The first time I read it, it didn't even make an impression on me. Second time I liked it. Third time I loved it. No idea why, but it is now firmly my favorite.
Tabitha in Moonlight. Oil stained shorts. Yes, OIL STAINED SHORTS. It doesn't get more daring than that in Betty's world, and I love this one for that alone, but also love the interactions between the hero and heroine.
Always and Forever
ReplyDeleteThe Secret Pool
The Little Dragon
The End of the Rainbow
The Hasty Marriage
Stars Through the Mist
Discovering Daisy
The Convenient Wife
Midsummer Star
Uncertain Summer
Polly
Cassandra By Chance
The Promise of Happiness
Once For All Time
Hilltop Tryst
Damsel in Green
Never the Time and the Place
Tony vs. Bruce -- tsk, tsk. Bruce the loser won. Well, Once for All Time did.
Gijs vs. the accountant. Well, no real competition, after all. Uncertain Summer won.
:o)
You aren't a fan of Tabitha in Moonlight? :0
DeleteNo, I am not. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
DeleteBetty Barbara votes for:
ReplyDeleteAlways and Forever
Waiting for Deborah
The Proposal
End of the Rainbow
The Hasty Marriage
Stars Through the Mist
Discovering Daisy
Convenient Wife
Tabitha in Moonlight
Uncertain Summer
Polly
Cassandra by Chance
The Promise of Happiness
Once for All Time
Hilltop Tryst
Damsel in Green
Roses Have Thorns
Well, this was fun--I got to vote for many of my favorite books. Which will lead to sobbing somewhere down the line, no doubt.
A Kind of Magic
ReplyDeleteThe Secret Pool
The Little Dragon
The Fortunes of Francesca
Nanny By Chance
Stars Through the Mist
Discovering Daisy
Grasp a Nettle
Tabitha in Moonlight
Uncertain Summer
Polly
Cassandra By Chance
A Valentine for Daisy
Once For All Time
An Ideal Wife
Damsel in Green
Roses Have Thorns
Always & Forever
ReplyDeleteThe Secret Pool
The Little Dragon
The Fortunes of Francesca
The Hasty Marriage
An Innocent Bride
Discovering Daisy
Grasp a Nettle
Tabitha in Moonlight
Uncertain Summer
Fate Takes a Hand
Cassandra by Chance
A Valentine for Daisy
Once for All Time
An Ideal Wife
Damsel in Green
Roses Have Thorns
Both the Daisies were both no brainers in this bracket, although the Promise of Happiness came close, but Uncle Valentine is just too hot. The most difficult choice was between Polly and Fate Takes a Hand; both second-stringers for me but both equally adorable. Also, I reviewed most of the toss-ups in this round at 3am when I was unable to sleep because of some medication I am taking, so I reserve the right to change my mind when I am in a more lucid state.
Always and Forever
ReplyDeleteWaiting for Deborah
The Little Dragon
The End of the Rainbow
The Hasty Marriage
An Innocent Bride
Pineapple Girl
The Convenient Wife
Midsummer Star
Uncertain Summer
Fate Takes a Hand
Cassandra by Chance
The Promise of Happiness
Once for All Time
An Ideal Wife
Damsel in Green
Never the Time and the Place
I don’t like The Hasty Marriage much, but Nanny by Chance is entirely forgettable; generic. The HM at least I remember, rather vividly. The trickiest one was NtTatP vs. Roses Have Thorns. Ouch! Wild card, maybe? Midsummer Star won a mental coin-toss because I’m a sucker for B&B’s, much as I love Tabitha in her bikini and whasizname in his shorts.
Always and Forever
ReplyDeleteWaiting for Deborah
The Proposal
End of the Rainbow
The Hasty Marriage
An Innocent Bride
Discovering Daisy
(skip, haven't read CM)
Tabitha in Moonlight
Uncertain Summer
Polly
Edge of Winter
Promise of Happiness
Once for All Time
(skip, haven't read IW)
Damsel in Green
Never the Time and Place
There were a few of these that were toss-ups, but none of them were ones I cared desperately about, so not a problem.
I'm usually not a fan of the marriage of convenience plot, but End of the Rainbow might be the best of them-- the only Neels that has kept me reading until 2 a.m. (because I couldn't figure out if Elisabeth, she was surprisingly creepy). The ending has one of the few genuine apologies of any Neels hero ever, so I'm willing to forgive the endless misunderstandings of the MOC.
Tabitha has become one of my top favorites, even though I sincerely dislike the last ten pages. I guess I love a house party. And of course there's the OIL STAINED SHORTS.
The Proposal is forgettable, I know, but Little Dragon is one of my least faves. I may have to revisit this rant later, because I'm sure it will win in this round, but I'm always so mad at Betty and The Liar by the end that I can barely speak. Too bad, because the first half had the potential to be my all-time fave. The Big Ruse would be fine, even cute, if he confessed all before the wedding, but to MARRY someone under false pretenses? that is so wrong. It's just wrong. Plus he includes his entire family in the joke, thus humiliating her in front of the entire clan. For the rest of her life she's going to be the butt of the joke at every family reunion. Uncle Arndt, in his cups, will be wheezing with laughter as they all retell the tale for the hundredth time. And she thought the butler was just there to POLISH THE SILVER!! I liked the first half so much I might have been able to forgive all if the hero had been even remotely apologetic, but he wasn't. See, I told you. Rant. It wouldn't make me so angry if it wasn't such a great first half.
Always and Forever
ReplyDeleteWaiting for Deborah
The Proposal
The Fortunes of Francesca
Nanny by Chance
Stars Through the Mist
Pineapple Girl
The Convenient Wife
Tabitha in Moonlight
Roses and Champagne
Polly
The Edge of Winter
The Promise of Happiness
Once for All Time
An Ideal Wife
Never While the Grass Grows
Roses Have Thorns
I almost forgot to come vote!
Re: The Hocked Locket Bracket — Eight of my seventeen choices wiped out, duh. No top favourites among them, I am glad to say, though I am very fond of A Gem of a Girl and The Right Kind of Girl and therefore sad to see both girls vanquished. Sniff.
ReplyDeleteAlways and Forever
ReplyDeleteWaiting for Deborah
The Little Dragon
End of the Rainbow
Nanny by Chance
Stars Through the Mist
Discovering Daisy
The Convenient Wife
Tabitha in Moonlight
Uncertain Summer
Polly
Cassandra by Chance
Promise of Happiness
Daughter of the Manor
An Ideal Wife
Damsel in Green
Roses Have Thorns
Whew! Only 2 reallllly close ones
:D
I love this blog. I am new Betty convert from 2014. I wish I could vote properly. I have only read about 30 of her books. I will share that Waiting for Deborah is my top favorite.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Betty Shell! :o)
Delete