Betty Neels

Betty Neels (born 15 September 1909 in Leyton, England – d. 7 June 2001 in England) was an English prolific writer of over 134 romance novels (first published entirely for Mills & Boon in United Kingdom and later reprinted in the North America by Harlequin), 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 Leyton (then part of Essex 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. Between 1934-1937 she trained as a nurse at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and then went on to train as a nurse, becoming a State Registered nurse in 1937. In September 1939 she was working at the Torbay Hospital. In1939 she was called up to the Territorial Army Nursing Service (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, where she met a Dutchman, named Johannes Meijer. They married in 1942 and had a daughter in 1945. The married couple lived in London, 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 Mills & Boon or Harlequin 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 Throu