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Beyond Her Control
It was time to live for herself
Brooke had held the family together ever since her mother's death, putting off her own dreams for the sake of her father, younger brother and sister.
So when her sister, staying at a chateau in France to upgrade her French before university, developed a crush on the chateau's owner and decided to stay, it was only natural that Brooke should rush to the rescue.
And it was also only natural that Brooke, naive and inexperienced with men, after meeting the handsome worldly Jourdain Marchais, should fall in love with him herself!
Brooke had held the family together ever since her mother's death, putting off her own dreams for the sake of her father, younger brother and sister.
So when her sister, staying at a chateau in France to upgrade her French before university, developed a crush on the chateau's owner and decided to stay, it was only natural that Brooke should rush to the rescue.
And it was also only natural that Brooke, naive and inexperienced with men, after meeting the handsome worldly Jourdain Marchais, should fall in love with him herself!
187 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
About the author
Jessica Steele
344 books113 followersJessica Steele was born on May 9, 1933 in the elegant Warwickshire town of Royal Leamington Spa. She has two super brothers, Colin and George, and a lovely sister, Elizabeth. She was a delicate child and missed a lot of school. In fact, she left school at aged 14, when she was diagnosed as having tuberculosis. At 16, she started work as a junior clerk. In 1967, Jessica married with her husband, Peter and within a very short space of time they had moved from her hometown to the lovely area where they now live. Their house is built into the side of a hill, and has beautiful views over more hills and valleys. Her brothers and her sister are very close and she has plenty of nephews and nieces to make up for the fact that she and her husband have no children of their own. Both she and her husband are more than a little dog-oriented, and their current dog is a Staffordshire bull terrier named Florence. Florence is gorgeous. She loves everybody but, since she is 40 pounds of dynamite and would hurl her boisterous self at everyone she meets - given half a chance - she has to be restrained (as much as possible). She is fun.
Her husband spurred Jessica on to her writing career, giving her every support while she did what she considers her five-year apprenticeship (the rejection years) while learning how to write. She published her first books in 1979. Jessica has tried using a typewriter, but it just doesn't work for her. She is much happier writing in longhand, and in actual fact has a dozen or so fountain pens filled and ready to go at the start of any one session. A friend has a secretarial agency and, after deciphering Jessica's writing, returns an immaculately typed manuscript. To gain authentic background for her books, she has travelled and researched in Greece, Russia, Egypt, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Hong Kong, China and Japan.
Her husband spurred Jessica on to her writing career, giving her every support while she did what she considers her five-year apprenticeship (the rejection years) while learning how to write. She published her first books in 1979. Jessica has tried using a typewriter, but it just doesn't work for her. She is much happier writing in longhand, and in actual fact has a dozen or so fountain pens filled and ready to go at the start of any one session. A friend has a secretarial agency and, after deciphering Jessica's writing, returns an immaculately typed manuscript. To gain authentic background for her books, she has travelled and researched in Greece, Russia, Egypt, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Hong Kong, China and Japan.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 7, 2011
This is part of the books I inherited from my grandmother after she died. As a teen she would lend me volumes of Harlequin novels--from the 70's/80's/90's--because they interested me. I read this one originally when I was about 16, maybe 15, and I remember at the time I really didn't like all the French involved.
Reading this now however I find it intensely amusing. I'm not sure what Steele's intentions were originally with the novel, but to me it was a really humorous book overall. Also Brooke and Stephanie's relationship is rather like my sister and I's in that I do so much for her and she kind of throws back in my face because I'm not doing what she wants, just what she needs.
This is a bit different then a lot of Harlequins from the time period, or what I remember of them at least, in that I felt so bad for the guy. Jourdain puts up with A LOT from Brooke. And I do mean a lot. The man couldn't say good morning to her without her screeching that his flirtatious french ways were not something she wanted. He attempts to compliment her on how a shirt looks and she accuses him of seducing her out of her clothing.
His attempt at making her understand his actions/words/feelings at the end were made awkward by Brooke's insistence that he must be lying and trying to con her into his bed. Never mind the man all but admitted to being so smitten with her he couldn't work--obviously that only meant he wanted a quick shag. So imagine my surprise that after ten pages of making Jourdain beg for her to love him like he loves her, Brooke realizes that he must be telling the truth. I don't know what brought on this epiphany, I'm not sure I want to know, but at least Jourdain finally got his girl.
Just wish I felt happy for him and not apprehensive about how the future would be if all Brooke thought of his overtures was 'VILE SEDUCER OF WOMEN'.
Reading this now however I find it intensely amusing. I'm not sure what Steele's intentions were originally with the novel, but to me it was a really humorous book overall. Also Brooke and Stephanie's relationship is rather like my sister and I's in that I do so much for her and she kind of throws back in my face because I'm not doing what she wants, just what she needs.
This is a bit different then a lot of Harlequins from the time period, or what I remember of them at least, in that I felt so bad for the guy. Jourdain puts up with A LOT from Brooke. And I do mean a lot. The man couldn't say good morning to her without her screeching that his flirtatious french ways were not something she wanted. He attempts to compliment her on how a shirt looks and she accuses him of seducing her out of her clothing.
His attempt at making her understand his actions/words/feelings at the end were made awkward by Brooke's insistence that he must be lying and trying to con her into his bed. Never mind the man all but admitted to being so smitten with her he couldn't work--obviously that only meant he wanted a quick shag. So imagine my surprise that after ten pages of making Jourdain beg for her to love him like he loves her, Brooke realizes that he must be telling the truth. I don't know what brought on this epiphany, I'm not sure I want to know, but at least Jourdain finally got his girl.
Just wish I felt happy for him and not apprehensive about how the future would be if all Brooke thought of his overtures was 'VILE SEDUCER OF WOMEN'.
November 3, 2025
I read this years ago and had forgotten it - not surprised.
This features one of my least favourite types of heroine - the downtrodden, gave up any hope of college/university to stay at home and look after parents/siblings dreary type. Jessica Steele uses this type often, but rarely makes then this DULL and humourless. She's 22, but acts 52. Her sister (and brother, who doesn't really feature) walks all over her, and even on the final pages she is doing the 18 year old sister's washing and ironing. Why does Jessica Steele never let her heroines go to university?
Anyway, so we have the boring heroine going over to France to help younger sister engage her brain. The lil'sis is refusing to go to university because she is enamoured with the hero (36ish), who for some reason doesn't notice that the sister is fixated in lust with him (like duh). For the first 100 pages, he comes across as a slimy French dude who needs taking down a peg (the only high point of the heroine is when she slaps him). Then, once she realises she is in love, the heroine becomes even more dreary. Unfortunately the hero is really two dimensional and the chemistry is negligent (I had to skim the making out sessions as I was cringing too much). The spoilt sister gets no comeuppance - SHE gets to go to university and have her laundry done for her, whereas the heroine gets to live in a French chateau with a flirt who will be bored with her after the first baby arrives.
This features one of my least favourite types of heroine - the downtrodden, gave up any hope of college/university to stay at home and look after parents/siblings dreary type. Jessica Steele uses this type often, but rarely makes then this DULL and humourless. She's 22, but acts 52. Her sister (and brother, who doesn't really feature) walks all over her, and even on the final pages she is doing the 18 year old sister's washing and ironing. Why does Jessica Steele never let her heroines go to university?
Anyway, so we have the boring heroine going over to France to help younger sister engage her brain. The lil'sis is refusing to go to university because she is enamoured with the hero (36ish), who for some reason doesn't notice that the sister is fixated in lust with him (like duh). For the first 100 pages, he comes across as a slimy French dude who needs taking down a peg (the only high point of the heroine is when she slaps him). Then, once she realises she is in love, the heroine becomes even more dreary. Unfortunately the hero is really two dimensional and the chemistry is negligent (I had to skim the making out sessions as I was cringing too much). The spoilt sister gets no comeuppance - SHE gets to go to university and have her laundry done for her, whereas the heroine gets to live in a French chateau with a flirt who will be bored with her after the first baby arrives.
March 26, 2023
Control freak big sister stomps off to France to 'rescue' her wayward younger sister from a non-existent love affair. Broody French guy is outrageously flirty to all.
I found it hard to like anybody in this book. The H is snappy, 'waspish', seriously uptight and rude. She also breaks the unwritten code - if your sister of bff is in love with a guy you don't move in on the dude! She broke the code, and so in my eyes is unworthy of a HEA.
The sister is a turbo-mega-bitch, a liar, nasty, vile, pettish and immature. I loathed every second I had to read about her.
The H is just typical bland 'masterful' French aristo - outside of his fancy suit and winning smile he's a non-person.
I found it hard to like anybody in this book. The H is snappy, 'waspish', seriously uptight and rude. She also breaks the unwritten code - if your sister of bff is in love with a guy you don't move in on the dude! She broke the code, and so in my eyes is unworthy of a HEA.
The sister is a turbo-mega-bitch, a liar, nasty, vile, pettish and immature. I loathed every second I had to read about her.
The H is just typical bland 'masterful' French aristo - outside of his fancy suit and winning smile he's a non-person.
pback-to-read
December 22, 2020It was time to live for herself
Brooke had held the family together ever since her mother's death, putting off her own dreams for the sake of her father, younger brother and sister.
So when her sister, staying at a chateau in France to upgrade her French before university, developed a crush on the chateau's owner and decided to stay, it was only natural that Brooke should rush to the rescue.
And it was also only natural that Brooke, naive and inexperienced with men, after meeting the handsome worldly Jourdain Marchais, should fall in love with him herself!
Brooke had held the family together ever since her mother's death, putting off her own dreams for the sake of her father, younger brother and sister.
So when her sister, staying at a chateau in France to upgrade her French before university, developed a crush on the chateau's owner and decided to stay, it was only natural that Brooke should rush to the rescue.
And it was also only natural that Brooke, naive and inexperienced with men, after meeting the handsome worldly Jourdain Marchais, should fall in love with him herself!
January 4, 2018
180 -قنديل الضباب :
روايات احلام
ضحت كولين بمستقبلها وتخلت عن طموحاتها لكي تؤمن لشقيقتها الصغرى مستقبلا ناجحاولكن كل تضحياتها بدت مهددة بأن تذهب هباء والسبب روجيه بوشين أوضح لها اليأس ما يجب أن تفعله ... ستقتحم عليه قصره وستفتح معركة في عقر داره لكي تخلص أختها من براثنه فمن يظن هذا الرجل العابث نفسه؟ولكن كيف لكولين أن تفلت بعد أن وقعت هي نفسها في شباكه ؟
روايات احلام
ضحت كولين بمستقبلها وتخلت عن طموحاتها لكي تؤمن لشقيقتها الصغرى مستقبلا ناجحاولكن كل تضحياتها بدت مهددة بأن تذهب هباء والسبب روجيه بوشين أوضح لها اليأس ما يجب أن تفعله ... ستقتحم عليه قصره وستفتح معركة في عقر داره لكي تخلص أختها من براثنه فمن يظن هذا الرجل العابث نفسه؟ولكن كيف لكولين أن تفلت بعد أن وقعت هي نفسها في شباكه ؟
July 17, 2026
Brooke has always been the caretaker for her father and twin siblings after her mother died. When her 18 year old sister sends a letter to say she has fallen in love with her French caretaker, Brooke heads out to rescue her sister, only to fall in love with him herself. Cute story. Some lol moments, and lots of sparks. Some spice that can be skipped.
July 16, 2019
قنديل الضباب لجيسيكا ستيل
Years ago, when I was a teenager, this book was amongst my favorite translated copies, I read it in Arabic, from روايات أحلام and I loved it so much I remember reading it over and over again.
Brooke is the good elder daughter who held her family together after her mother's death, taking her of her widowed father and younger twin brother and sister.
Her sister goes on a trip to France after graduation and falls for her friend's relative, a French chateau's owner named Jourdain Marchais. She goes to follow her crazy sister to return her home and to university. But she finds herself falling for the handsome and worldly frenchman.
Years ago, when I was a teenager, this book was amongst my favorite translated copies, I read it in Arabic, from روايات أحلام and I loved it so much I remember reading it over and over again.
Brooke is the good elder daughter who held her family together after her mother's death, taking her of her widowed father and younger twin brother and sister.
Her sister goes on a trip to France after graduation and falls for her friend's relative, a French chateau's owner named Jourdain Marchais. She goes to follow her crazy sister to return her home and to university. But she finds herself falling for the handsome and worldly frenchman.
January 3, 2011
I love all Jessica Steele's novels.
May 22, 2014
I enjoy a good love story and this one didn't disappoint me, I LOVE this book...couldn't stop reading :D
Read
April 26, 2018It was time to live for herself
Brooke had held the family together ever since her mother's death, putting off her own dreams for the sake of her father, younger brother and sister.
So when her sister, staying at a chateau in France to upgrade her French before university, developed a crush on the chateau's owner and decided to stay, it was only natural that Brooke should rush to the rescue.
And it was also only natural that Brooke, naive and inexperienced with men, after meeting the handsome worldly Jourdain Marchais, should fall in love with him herself!
Brooke had held the family together ever since her mother's death, putting off her own dreams for the sake of her father, younger brother and sister.
So when her sister, staying at a chateau in France to upgrade her French before university, developed a crush on the chateau's owner and decided to stay, it was only natural that Brooke should rush to the rescue.
And it was also only natural that Brooke, naive and inexperienced with men, after meeting the handsome worldly Jourdain Marchais, should fall in love with him herself!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews