The Fifth Day of Christmas (Reader's Choice: The Best of Betty Neels)

Rating:
Summary: One of Neels' best--a cozy winter read!
Review: I have read almost all of Betty Neel's books and this is one of my favorites. The plot isn't deep, but the characterization is excellent, and the romance is satisfying. Yes, this is an "old-fashioned" book in that the main characters don't lust after each other nor have pre-marital sex. It is a gentle, thoughtful romance. My mom, dad, sister, and I have all read this book several times. One of the sayings that has become a joke in our family comes from the part where the old family retainer tells the couple that the "wind took the electricity," and later, we all wonder if the wind brought it back! It is the well-developed characters that make this book a classic. It is variation on the snowed-in house party theme, only in this case the characters were accidentally marooned together in a storm, and have to make do. Julia, the heroine, is an intelligent, independent nurse, and the hero is her forceful counterpart. I do wish the that the supposed "other woman" would be exposed for what she is sooner, but even with that frustration, it is still a very enjoyable book. I am glad that Harlequin re-printed it, since the old copies out there were wearing out. Now you can get a good used copy at a very reasonable price.

Rating:
Summary: One of Neels' best--a cozy winter read!
Review: I have read almost all of Betty Neel's books and this is one of my favorites. The plot isn't deep, but the characterization is excellent, and the romance is satisfying. Yes, this is an "old-fashioned" book in that the main characters don't lust after each other nor have pre-marital sex. It is a gentle, thoughtful romance. My mom, dad, sister, and I have all read this book several times. One of the sayings that has become a joke in our family comes from the part where the old family retainer tells the couple that the "wind took the electricity," and later, we all wonder if the wind brought it back! It is the well-developed characters that make this book a classic. It is variation on the snowed-in house party theme, only in this case the characters were accidentally marooned together in a storm, and have to make do. Julia, the heroine, is an intelligent, independent nurse, and the hero is her forceful counterpart. I do wish the that the supposed "other woman" would be exposed for what she is sooner, but even with that frustration, it is still a very enjoyable book. I am glad that Harlequin re-printed it, since the old copies out there were wearing out. Now you can get a good used copy at a very reasonable price.