It would be hard to find two romance novels as different as these.
A Royal Pain
A Royal Pain is about a modern American girl Bronte Talbot who is dead set on having a hot temporary boyfriend with lots of sex and no commitment. Bronte seems to believe this is what she is supposed to be doing as a modern career minded female, especially after a disastrous romance. I never got the impression that Bronte truly wanted the no-strings-attached relationship as much as she felt it was what she deserved and would be safest.
I didn’t care much for this. I read about two thirds through then skimmed the rest as Bronte got tiresome and so did her romance with the British doctoral student who turned out to be a duke and second cousin to the Queen of England. I’m not a fan of this lifestyle or beliefs and attitudes and it was hard to give a darn for the characters. Frankly the dialogue and plot weren’t enough to overcome the sleaze factor.
The dialogue deteriorated into a string of F-F-F-F because apparently we were supposed to admire Bronte’s liberation from good English and her use of profanity. She was shallow, superficial and totally selfish. Example, she thought she might be pregnant and resented her fiance’s suggestion she not drink and even more resented his disapproval when she blithely mentioned the morning after pill. Really? You are going to get married yet you think your fiance is controlling because he suggested you skip the wine? Grow up Bronte!
The minor characters were stereotypes. Max’s mother is stuck up and not at all happy with Max’ choice of bride. Bronte’s friends are shallow just like she is. All in all, it was a boring, annoying novel and one I cannot recommend.
Always and Forever
Always and Forever by Betty Neels is classic Betty Neels. She wrote gentle, books with interesting characters.
Like all her books Always and Forever has no sex scenes. There is tension and attraction but it is not in your face or in your bed. The characters don’t sleep around and they display all around good moral standards, not talking about others, not gossiping, not taking advantage or mooching, not giving into jealousy or envying others their good fortunes.
Always and Forever finds Amabel running her mother’s bed and breakfast while her mother is in Canada visiting her sister and her sister’s new baby. It’s obvious that Amabel and her mother are not well off, but they have enough to live on. One guest is Oliver Fforde who arrives with his mother during a bad storm. Although Amabel is not the type of girl he normally dates something about her lingers in his mind and Oliver seeks her out several times.
Amabel’s mother returns along with her new husband who instantly dislikes Amabel but is prepared to allow her to stay provided she works for free in his new nursery business and takes care of the housework. The final straw, when her new stepfather plans to kill her cat and dog, sends Amabel to visit her older aunt near York. There she finds work in a trendy gift shop.
Oliver visits her a couple times, although he isn’t sure why. He isn’t aware that he is attracted to her kindness, good cheer and steady character. Unfortunately the girl he has been dating discovers Amabel and prevails on her employer to fire her. Oliver finds her in the nick of time.
A few more mishaps ensue, but all happen without excessive drama. Once you accept that characters like these two exist, and accept the coincidental meeting, the story proceeds in a believable way that is most enjoyable.
I’ve always enjoyed Betty Neels’ novels. Yes, it is difficult to believe there are that many rich, single, successful Dutch doctors who desperately need wives, and yes, it’s a bit fortuitous how often the wife they need turns out to be our English heroine. But if you can get by that plot device the books are easy reading and fun and the characters are admirable. None of her characters is nasty or vindictive – although they may be tempted – nor are they saintly or too good to be true. I was delighted to find that her books have been reissued and intend to read them all.
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