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The French Maid
New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries offers a sizzling short ebook featuring a mysterious French maid who mends marriages.Lady Eleanor Langston has a her husband Henry, prime-minister-in-the-making, is too caught up in his work to notice her. Despite her involvement in his various public appearances, she feels shut out of his life, especially with their one-year anniversary looming. When Henry hires a highly recommended French lady’s maid without consulting her, Eleanor’s anger can't be contained—until she meets her. With Babette’s help, Eleanor arms herself with the one weapon that will make Henry notice her as a woman—her inner siren.
80 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2011
72 people are currently reading
1031 people want to read
About the author
Sabrina Jeffries
87 books4,795 followersSabrina Jeffries is the NYT bestselling author of over 50 novels and works of short fiction (some written under the pseudonyms Deborah Martin and Deborah Nicholas). Whatever time not spent writing in a coffee-fueled haze of dreams and madness is spent traveling with her husband and adult autistic son or indulging in one of her passions—jigsaw puzzles, chocolate, and music. With over 11 million books published in print and electronically in 25 different languages, the North Carolina author never regrets tossing aside a budding career in academics for the sheer joy of writing fun fiction, and hopes that one day a book of hers will end up saving the world.
She always dreams big.
She always dreams big.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
November 19, 2011
4 stars: It was nothing but a little romance parable and If you think of it like that its well written, however, if you are expecting the next Ulysses you might as well keep going :p
Remember when you were a kid and every story had life lesson applied to it. Well this is the same only for romance reading adults. It was very cute and had a resounding message to it: "Don't take companionship and love for granted. It is and always will be a blessing. Bridge the gap, drop your pride, and go for love. It's okay to be afraid, it's not okay to let that stop your progression" Too cute. I loved it.
Remember when you were a kid and every story had life lesson applied to it. Well this is the same only for romance reading adults. It was very cute and had a resounding message to it: "Don't take companionship and love for granted. It is and always will be a blessing. Bridge the gap, drop your pride, and go for love. It's okay to be afraid, it's not okay to let that stop your progression" Too cute. I loved it.
September 24, 2024
Приятна, кратка история - колкото да мине бързо времето на обедната почивка, но ми хареса за разлика от много други подобни къси разкази, които изобщо не съм харесала.
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November 28, 2011
My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book...
This short story by Sabrina Jeffries came out as a free installment with her 1st Hellions of Hallstead Hall book, The Truth About Lord Stoneville. This year, with a re-release, I thought why not read it? I’m glad that I did! This story of about 30 pages or so, is about a married couple, misunderstandings and a little clumsiness (well, Babette would say ‘lazy’ lol) from both sides about each others’ feelings.
Henry Ruskin, Lord Langston is politically quite influential. He might become the next prime minister if everything goes well. So, his life is undoubtedly packed with schedules and meetings at the House of Lords, then there’s more of this and that. He married Eleanor because of her father’s political influences. He also thought she’d be the ‘perfectly biddable English wife’- no demands, no tears, none of those clingy sorts! He seemed very oblivious about her, as I found out. I thought it was not only clumsy, it was a crime of sort. He was quite insensitive. He didn’t really think of her as a human being with needs and so on, just a wife who manages his household, attends various functions he takes her to, doing whatever it is needed to be a ‘good’ wife. In return, he doesn’t really care for her wishes and has sex with her once a week. ONCE A BLOODY WEEK AND THEY’D BEEN MARRIED FOR LIKE WHAT, A YEAR? Oh man, I know this sounds bad, it is bad actually but Henry isn’t the evil type, really. He’s not abusive or anything, just oblivious of her. And he assumes all the time, about what Eleanor’s wishes would be- just as he did about this new French ladies maid whom he hired for her without even consulting her.
Eleanor loves her husband but by now, she’s pretty sure he’s a hopeless cause. She wants to be noticed, she wants to be loved the same way and yet, he never does. And when Parliament is in session, no one dares enter his study. It’s his private sanctuary, of whom no one even has a key to. WOW, weird! And then, the connecting door to his room is also kept locked all the time (Seriously? Now that I think of it, Henry does need a spanking! :p lol). Anyway, Eleanor is the subdued sort and knows that her lack of beauty also might be the cause. This marriage was all about a sensible match but she feels nothing sensible about it anymore. I did feel for this woman, she’s smart and all but when it comes to seduction, she’s no good. So Babette comes to her as a gift of sort, when she finds her early next morning waiting for her. She gives Eleanor advices on how to look pretty and how you can make yourself look horrible just because you didn’t dress well enough etc. etc. At first, Eleanor is a bit suspicious about her because of her beauty. She feels a bit self conscious too but under Babette’s expertise, she begins to bloom.
Now, the trouble is, tomorrow is their 1st marriage anniversary and Henry, so far, hasn’t mentioned of any plan or anything else. She’s a bit down about this. I mean she’s supposed to be down, my god, I was feeling angry for her. But knowing Henry, she doubted he even remembers. I mean WTF? Anyway, Babette helps her dressing nicely, which definitely catches Henry’s eyes. Then they were off to some place. Henry thinks wow, my wife suddenly looks amazing and yet he doesn’t compliment her. Poor Eleanor feels depressed again. She thinks it’s no use on Henry. But, he amends that soon, before I took a broom and chase him with it!
At night, it’s Wednesday, their ‘give me some lovin’ day. lol Henry’s been thinking about it and now when he sees how Babette has taken care of his wife he’s awestruck. I’m not sure why he was awestruck but it was good and Henry kinda jumps on Eleanor and starts making love to her like a demented psycho! Er, well, that was kinda overboard (heehee) but he was nuts over her for sure. But the next day, Eleanor wakes up to find that Henry has closeted himself in his ‘private sanctuary’ aka his study, leaving only a terse note for her. She’s so mad and distressed (after such a night, how could he?) that she decides to leave for a few days to go to her parents’. Then comes Babette, again, with her invaluable advises. Well, I’m not going to go into anymore details but she did help them resolve this issue with some allusions to how ‘lazy’ they have been about everything and this and that and so and so which makes Henry look like a shamefaced greenboy (if that means a thing of course, don’t mind me please for I’m just down with a bad cold and not sure WTH I’m writing at the moment! :/).
4 stars because I love SJ’s writing style, as always. I’ve read other books/novellas with such premise, even then I thought it was pretty good, though I wasn’t really sure why Babette was such a prominent figure in the whole book. Guess it was because the title was about a French maid and she was one and... grr, I’m making no sense at all! Sorry about that.
The French Maid is a free novella and can be downloaded from Simon and Schuster.
BTW: The cover looks very much like Gaelen Foley’s Spice Trilogy UK edition. Hope I’m correct!
This short story by Sabrina Jeffries came out as a free installment with her 1st Hellions of Hallstead Hall book, The Truth About Lord Stoneville. This year, with a re-release, I thought why not read it? I’m glad that I did! This story of about 30 pages or so, is about a married couple, misunderstandings and a little clumsiness (well, Babette would say ‘lazy’ lol) from both sides about each others’ feelings.
Henry Ruskin, Lord Langston is politically quite influential. He might become the next prime minister if everything goes well. So, his life is undoubtedly packed with schedules and meetings at the House of Lords, then there’s more of this and that. He married Eleanor because of her father’s political influences. He also thought she’d be the ‘perfectly biddable English wife’- no demands, no tears, none of those clingy sorts! He seemed very oblivious about her, as I found out. I thought it was not only clumsy, it was a crime of sort. He was quite insensitive. He didn’t really think of her as a human being with needs and so on, just a wife who manages his household, attends various functions he takes her to, doing whatever it is needed to be a ‘good’ wife. In return, he doesn’t really care for her wishes and has sex with her once a week. ONCE A BLOODY WEEK AND THEY’D BEEN MARRIED FOR LIKE WHAT, A YEAR? Oh man, I know this sounds bad, it is bad actually but Henry isn’t the evil type, really. He’s not abusive or anything, just oblivious of her. And he assumes all the time, about what Eleanor’s wishes would be- just as he did about this new French ladies maid whom he hired for her without even consulting her.
Eleanor loves her husband but by now, she’s pretty sure he’s a hopeless cause. She wants to be noticed, she wants to be loved the same way and yet, he never does. And when Parliament is in session, no one dares enter his study. It’s his private sanctuary, of whom no one even has a key to. WOW, weird! And then, the connecting door to his room is also kept locked all the time (Seriously? Now that I think of it, Henry does need a spanking! :p lol). Anyway, Eleanor is the subdued sort and knows that her lack of beauty also might be the cause. This marriage was all about a sensible match but she feels nothing sensible about it anymore. I did feel for this woman, she’s smart and all but when it comes to seduction, she’s no good. So Babette comes to her as a gift of sort, when she finds her early next morning waiting for her. She gives Eleanor advices on how to look pretty and how you can make yourself look horrible just because you didn’t dress well enough etc. etc. At first, Eleanor is a bit suspicious about her because of her beauty. She feels a bit self conscious too but under Babette’s expertise, she begins to bloom.
Now, the trouble is, tomorrow is their 1st marriage anniversary and Henry, so far, hasn’t mentioned of any plan or anything else. She’s a bit down about this. I mean she’s supposed to be down, my god, I was feeling angry for her. But knowing Henry, she doubted he even remembers. I mean WTF? Anyway, Babette helps her dressing nicely, which definitely catches Henry’s eyes. Then they were off to some place. Henry thinks wow, my wife suddenly looks amazing and yet he doesn’t compliment her. Poor Eleanor feels depressed again. She thinks it’s no use on Henry. But, he amends that soon, before I took a broom and chase him with it!
At night, it’s Wednesday, their ‘give me some lovin’ day. lol Henry’s been thinking about it and now when he sees how Babette has taken care of his wife he’s awestruck. I’m not sure why he was awestruck but it was good and Henry kinda jumps on Eleanor and starts making love to her like a demented psycho! Er, well, that was kinda overboard (heehee) but he was nuts over her for sure. But the next day, Eleanor wakes up to find that Henry has closeted himself in his ‘private sanctuary’ aka his study, leaving only a terse note for her. She’s so mad and distressed (after such a night, how could he?) that she decides to leave for a few days to go to her parents’. Then comes Babette, again, with her invaluable advises. Well, I’m not going to go into anymore details but she did help them resolve this issue with some allusions to how ‘lazy’ they have been about everything and this and that and so and so which makes Henry look like a shamefaced greenboy (if that means a thing of course, don’t mind me please for I’m just down with a bad cold and not sure WTH I’m writing at the moment! :/).
4 stars because I love SJ’s writing style, as always. I’ve read other books/novellas with such premise, even then I thought it was pretty good, though I wasn’t really sure why Babette was such a prominent figure in the whole book. Guess it was because the title was about a French maid and she was one and... grr, I’m making no sense at all! Sorry about that.
The French Maid is a free novella and can be downloaded from Simon and Schuster.
BTW: The cover looks very much like Gaelen Foley’s Spice Trilogy UK edition. Hope I’m correct!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2024
A cute short novella in classic Sabrina Jeffries style! Though I would have appreciated more groveling from the MMC- the FMC forgave him too fast.
August 23, 2018
Short and sweet story. Eleanor and Henry have been married for almost a year. Eleanor is very much in love with her husband, but he is oblivious to her feelings. He is a workaholic, devoting most of his time to his political career. He appreciates her presence when he needs her to support him, and her willingness to amuse herself when he's otherwise occupied. When her lady's maid leaves to get married, Henry hires a new maid without any input from her. Eleanor is ready to pitch a fit until she meets Babette.
Babette sees the problem very quickly. Eleanor loves her husband and wants more from him, but is afraid to ask. She fears rejection and would rather muddle along as is than to risk losing what she has. She doesn't have any confidence in her ability to gain and retain her husband's interest. Meanwhile, Henry is intent on protecting himself from losing control and focus and does so by keeping Eleanor at a distance.
I loved Babette's motivational abilities. Her speech to Eleanor, telling her that if she wants more from Henry, she has to be willing to risk it all, gave Eleanor the boost she needed. The addition of the sexy nightgown was a great attention-getter and served its purpose very well. But though the night proved promising with its heat and the amazing connection between Henry and Eleanor, there are still issues to be resolved. That same connection that gave Eleanor such hope sent Henry running. He suffers from his own fears and insecurities, and in his attempt to protect himself he breaks Eleanor's heart. I was happy to see him suffer a bit as he tried to deal with the intensity of his feelings. I loved the eye-opening lecture he received from Babette and the effect it had on him.
The conclusion was sweet and romantic. I loved Henry's big moment as he admitted his feelings and confessed his fears. The gift he had for Eleanor was perfect and showed his commitment to making their marriage work.
Babette sees the problem very quickly. Eleanor loves her husband and wants more from him, but is afraid to ask. She fears rejection and would rather muddle along as is than to risk losing what she has. She doesn't have any confidence in her ability to gain and retain her husband's interest. Meanwhile, Henry is intent on protecting himself from losing control and focus and does so by keeping Eleanor at a distance.
I loved Babette's motivational abilities. Her speech to Eleanor, telling her that if she wants more from Henry, she has to be willing to risk it all, gave Eleanor the boost she needed. The addition of the sexy nightgown was a great attention-getter and served its purpose very well. But though the night proved promising with its heat and the amazing connection between Henry and Eleanor, there are still issues to be resolved. That same connection that gave Eleanor such hope sent Henry running. He suffers from his own fears and insecurities, and in his attempt to protect himself he breaks Eleanor's heart. I was happy to see him suffer a bit as he tried to deal with the intensity of his feelings. I loved the eye-opening lecture he received from Babette and the effect it had on him.
The conclusion was sweet and romantic. I loved Henry's big moment as he admitted his feelings and confessed his fears. The gift he had for Eleanor was perfect and showed his commitment to making their marriage work.
February 11, 2017
Много ми хареса това, че дори толкова кратичко разказана, тази история ни дава да разберем или просто да ни напомни, че трябва непрестанно да се трудим за да запазим страстта във връзката си силна, както е била в началото!
November 16, 2018
A very short, very sweet tale of a couple who have been taking each other for granted, and the sassy French maid who rescued their marriage.
It’s a quick read but it did not feel like it. I was left with a smile on my face and happy for the h and H.
It’s a quick read but it did not feel like it. I was left with a smile on my face and happy for the h and H.
September 16, 2021
3.5 stars 🌟
September 27, 2015
Cute, short and sweet, this story gives testament to the fact that marriage is work and you can't be lazy. Eleanor has been in love with her workaholic husband for the entire year they've been married but has settled for the breadcrumbs he gives her because she's too afraid to upset the status quo. He's absolutely clueless and dedicated to his profession in politics. He thinks that all he wants is a perfect English wife and hostess, but there are times when he's tempted to open up to her. It all changes when French Maid, Babette comes along and pushes Eleanor to risk her heart for love. Not extraordinarily passionate, but pretty angsty. It doesn't have a lot of depth or complexity, but it's a novella. Worth a 30 minute read for sure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2015
Eleanor and Henry. Eleanor wed Henry a year ago almost to the day, and feels hopeless that Henry will ever return her affections. Sure he's a good husband, and provider, but he takes her for granted. He forgot her birthday and will probably forget their first anniversary in a few days time. Recently Eleanor's maid left and Henry surprises her with a new made from France. The new maid is kinda like the sexy version of 'Nanny McPhee'. I assumed her 'help' to their marriage was gonna be more riske. But it was really just a small push her and there to get them out of their marital rut. It's a sweet enjoyable short tale with a moral; it takes work to make a marriage work.
July 4, 2017
I only read this because it's Sabrina Jeffries, and I love her. It's not a very interesting premise to me, why marry someone for anything other than love? I know it happened all the time, especially during this time period, but I still don't like it. We didn't really get to know the characters to well, which is difficult in a short story format, but for what we got I think it was pretty good. Cute and adorable and just a quick bite for when I'm craving something by Jeffries, which is pretty often! The maid is a God-send!
February 6, 2012
Short and sweet, but I think I would've liked it drawn out just a teeeeeensy bit more. The angst was delightful, but the maid worked her magic a wee bit too quickly for my tastes.
Still, quite good for a free read.
3/5
Still, quite good for a free read.
3/5
November 2, 2020
To short
September 10, 2013
Too short but so cute! Both H and h were adorable and a great couple!
November 26, 2013
A short Quick read!! Maid is the 'Mary Poppins' for the married couples :)
July 15, 2022
Bem curtinho (30 páginas), conta a história de um casamento fracassado por culpa do marido que só pensa em trabalho mas sua esposa decide dar uma última cartada para salvar esse casamento. Fofinho, gostei dos personagens, queria muito que fosse um full, vi potencial.
September 7, 2022
** 3 stars **
Just average (and I don't mean that as a condemnation - was just... okay, short, whatnot).
Basically, a story of a stagnant marriage being shaken by an eerily observant French maid.
(Listened to the book as an "epilogue" of the audiobook for To Woo a Reluctant Lady.)
Just average (and I don't mean that as a condemnation - was just... okay, short, whatnot).
Basically, a story of a stagnant marriage being shaken by an eerily observant French maid.
(Listened to the book as an "epilogue" of the audiobook for To Woo a Reluctant Lady.)
November 23, 2017
This was a really lovely read. I didn’t think I’d like it as it’s so short but it was great
June 20, 2018
Short but sweet
I recommend for a quick read. Very short though, I wish it were a little longer. Just a little steamy.
I recommend for a quick read. Very short though, I wish it were a little longer. Just a little steamy.
March 2, 2019
A very short, very sweet story
March 4, 2020
Too short to be anything
March 1, 2021
Аз, докато се усетя, и книгата свърши - сериозно!? Да, засяга много хубава и дълбока тема, но "решението" беше представено прекалено повърхностно.
July 14, 2022
Nice refreshing very short story
January 22, 2023
this is more of a short story than a novella, and a damned good one too
February 23, 2025
Can't really enjoy something so superficial and rushed
It's like the author couldnt be bothered to actually develop the story
It's like the author couldnt be bothered to actually develop the story
November 6, 2016
decent read. to me wasn't one of her better tales
February 16, 2019
*****
It says I must have 20 words or more but I don't want to write any words about this book. :)
It says I must have 20 words or more but I don't want to write any words about this book. :)
April 4, 2019
Too short not enough back story on Henry & Eleanor
Where did this maid come from why was she helping couples with their love life?
The love was great once revealed by both Henry & Eleanor.
Where did this maid come from why was she helping couples with their love life?
The love was great once revealed by both Henry & Eleanor.
April 24, 2025
Sabrina Jeffries' The French Maid is a delightful, bite-sized gem of a novella that centers on Eleanor and Henry, a married couple nearing their first anniversary. At its heart, it’s a story about rekindling connection—about what happens when love gets tangled up in ambition and routine, and how a little nudge (or a mischievous French maid) can make all the difference.
Enter Babette: clever, charming, and full of surprises. She's more than just a side character—she’s the spark that ignites the plot. With her sharp wit and mysterious allure, Babette gently guides Eleanor and Henry back toward each other, reminding them (and us) that passion and communication are the cornerstones of any lasting relationship.
Jeffries handles themes of emotional intimacy, validation, and novelty in marriage with a light yet thoughtful touch. The pacing is spot-on for a novella—tight and satisfying without feeling rushed. It’s a romantic romp with just enough depth to leave you reflecting on your own relationships.
If you're in the mood for a sweet, smart, and slightly spicy historical escape, The French Maid is a perfect afternoon read that’ll leave you smiling.
Enter Babette: clever, charming, and full of surprises. She's more than just a side character—she’s the spark that ignites the plot. With her sharp wit and mysterious allure, Babette gently guides Eleanor and Henry back toward each other, reminding them (and us) that passion and communication are the cornerstones of any lasting relationship.
Jeffries handles themes of emotional intimacy, validation, and novelty in marriage with a light yet thoughtful touch. The pacing is spot-on for a novella—tight and satisfying without feeling rushed. It’s a romantic romp with just enough depth to leave you reflecting on your own relationships.
If you're in the mood for a sweet, smart, and slightly spicy historical escape, The French Maid is a perfect afternoon read that’ll leave you smiling.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews