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Beyond Control
Her only chance was to trust him. — Confined and suffering from amnesia in a revolutionary country, Kate was near despair. When Sean Kierly appeared, claiming to be her fiance, it was a godsend. Unfortunately, the authorities insisted they be married before being allowed to leave. — Surprisingly, Kate found her husband very...desirable. Surely he felt the same way about her or they wouldn't have been engaged?
Then she learned the shocking truth. Sean hadn't even met her before the planned rescue, so he couldn't possibly love her now!
Then she learned the shocking truth. Sean hadn't even met her before the planned rescue, so he couldn't possibly love her now!
187 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
1 person is currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Flora Kidd
136 books34 followersFlora Mildred Cartwright was born on 1926 in Liverpool, England, UK. The youngest of four children, Flora and her family lived in the same house until she was a teen. In 1949, she graduated from Liverpool University, where she met Robert Kidd, her husband. They moved to her beloved Scotland, where she began teaching, writing, and raised their four children: Richard, Patricia, Peter and David.
Flora Kidd published her first novel, Visit To Rowanbank, in 1966 at Mills & Boon. In 1977, the family moved to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, where she continued her romance career with Mills & Boon until 1989, when she retired. In 1994, she published the first of the The Marco Polo Project novels, to support a project to build a replica of the 19th century ship Marco Polo.
Flora Kidd passed away on March 19, 2008 at Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
Flora Kidd published her first novel, Visit To Rowanbank, in 1966 at Mills & Boon. In 1977, the family moved to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, where she continued her romance career with Mills & Boon until 1989, when she retired. In 1994, she published the first of the The Marco Polo Project novels, to support a project to build a replica of the 19th century ship Marco Polo.
Flora Kidd passed away on March 19, 2008 at Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 31, 2014
This is a complicated, long-winded story. When they meet, heroine has amnesia after a plane crash, she has been living in a convent in a country that is going thru a coup. Hero is a journalist and has been hired by her uncle to rescue her. The only way they can get out is by him lying to her and telling her that they are engaged, they still have to marry before the General before she can be released. On the wedding night she sees a photo of herself in his diary and reads his last entry, she realises he is a total stranger. She seems to have fallen in love with him, at first sight anyway, so she initiates sex. When they arrive back home, he leaves her with her uncle and goes on his merry way, telling her to dissolve the marriage(she told him her memory had returned, surprisingly!)
Two years later they meet up again in Ireland and various dramas ensues, evil om and ow, who both try to kill our h and H(one accidently).
This had all the ingredients to be a super, crazy, angsty book, but it isn't. I don't think that's Flora Kidds style, it's still enjoyable if somewhat subdue, esp after coming off an Anne Hampson binge!
There is something very special about the old M&B's covers!
Two years later they meet up again in Ireland and various dramas ensues, evil om and ow, who both try to kill our h and H(one accidently).
This had all the ingredients to be a super, crazy, angsty book, but it isn't. I don't think that's Flora Kidds style, it's still enjoyable if somewhat subdue, esp after coming off an Anne Hampson binge!
There is something very special about the old M&B's covers!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2018
He was pretty dumb to leave her alone so long.
July 13, 2025
The book starts out a lot different than it ends up. That whole political warzone situation is just the author's rather original way of bringing the H and h together, with their hasty marriage (in a possible life-or-death situation), night of passion and escape from danger, her temporary amnesia and their parting at the airport as he heads back into the danger zone promising a lot more intrigue and adventure than you get.
Instead, it becomes one of those "separated for several years, not married but not divorced" situations, with neither of them doing much to remedy the situation, what with him traveling all over to one danger zone after another as part of his foreign correspondent job, and her finishing college and starting her career as a music teacher.
It's only when the OM (and I'll talk about him later) pushes her to do something about her situation, after two years of not hearing from the H except for a postcard saying he'd visit at Christmas, which he didn't. It was that disappointment that made her start seeing the OM, but strictly on a friendship basis (despite his being horny for her body).
Neither the H nor the h made much of an effort to stay in touch. She tried contacting him once (hoping for a chance at a real marriage) at the agency he worked for, but he was off on another assignment, and she didn't try again after that. He didn't get in touch with her at all for well over a year until that postcard. So, it doesn't seem that either really cared very much, despite our supposed to believe they both really loved each other.
In fact, the feelings on both sides seemed rather weak to me, despite another passionate night when they finally get together again (thanks to her kindly, interfering uncle, who caused a lot of problems with his good deeds). At first the h sees him as a white night who saved her damsel self from danger in a war-torn country, then she starts thinking her feelings were all in her imagination and she never loved him, then she's intensely jealous of the OW (more about her later), then she tries to act indifferent and talks about the OM as if she may consider a future with him, then she tries to convince herself they're better off divorced, then (after a talk with her aunt about marriage) she decides she'll love him forever and lets him know it! Pretty roller coaster erratic to me!
As for the H, he was worse! After their night together (knowing that he was her first and that she had fallen for him) he gives her the old "thank you ma'am" and disappears in a hurry, as covering the counterrevolution was more important than his new wife. In fact, he tells her to forget about him and get a divorce ASAP. He excuses not contacting her by saying he was always on the go with his job, and he told her he wasn't the 9-5 domestic type, and h assumed she'd gone ahead and ended the marriage and about Christmas: well, it seems a friend of his was supposed to contact her about why he didn't show up but apparently that didn't happen. Oh, well! RIDICULOUS! Then, he has the nerve to accuse her of sleeping with the OM (a kiss she didn't enjoy much was as far as she went) as if he'd betrayed him! He later claims he always loved her (why do I have a tough time believing that??) and that the reason he hoped she'd gotten a divorce was so they could start all over again. (WHAT????) Half the time he acts moody and bad tempered, when he's not acting nonchalant about their future. He could really be ANNOYING!!
But their flaws can't compare to the toxic (and I mean TOXIC) OM and OW!! Talk about HORRIBLE people!!!
The OM is twice the h's age (the father of one of her students) who has major issues with women since his wife left him (and I don't blame her a bit). This guy was so crappy that even his money wouldn't be an incentive to be with him (and we're talking mansion and yacht)! He's pushy (keeps telling the h how much he wants to sleep with her when they've just been casually dating, then asks her to marry him (probably thinking that's the only way he'll get her in bed) and seems to take it for granted she'll say yes, keeps pushing her to end her marriage, then sabotages her chance to be head of the music department (he's on the school board and his money/power rule) by telling everyone they'll be getting married soon and she won't want to work anymore.
But MUCH WORSE, when she returns from her visit with the H, and makes the mistake of going horseback riding with the OM (mainly because he kept pestering her) she tells him she still loves the H and is pregnant with his baby (which the H didn't know about yet), he went berserk!!! He started calling her nasty names and then hit her with his riding crop!!!! She took off on the horse to get away from him, fell and got hurt and lost the baby!! He had the nerve to visit her at the hospital and act as if he hadn't done anything wrong, then when he found out she lost the baby he said good, he was glad!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!! She had the nurse throw him out and never saw him again, but she should have had him arrested!!! This guy was dangerous, and his daughter shouldn't be living with him!!!
But they just let it go! Even when the H finds out what happened, he just gets angry but that's it! You'd think after finding out the guy called his wife filthy names, hit her, and caused her to have an accident that killed their unborn baby he would have beaten him to a bloody mess!! (I would have LOVED that!!) but no dice.
As for the OW, she was a popular actress who was a longtime friend of the H but couldn't accept that statis and lies to the h about having an on-and-off affair with the H whenever it suits their purposes, being two free spirits who refuse to be tied down. It seems she was the friend he trusted to tell the h why he didn't show up on Christmas (he'd been in a car accident), and he assumed she'd written to the h (not too bright, is he?) and when he never heard from her, assumed she didn't fare that he could have gotten killed and needed a few months to recover. I guess it never occurred to him to write to her himself afterward, before making that judgment?
But (as with the OM) the OW did a lot worse, as she was the cause of his accident!!! They had gone to a party and afterward she made him stop at her place (she could be just as pushy as the OM), hoping to talk him into spending the night. When he told her he had other plans, which included paying his wife a visit, she drugged his drink, hoping she could keep him there overnight and seduce him into the bargain. Today, had she succeeded, she would have been a rapist!!!
Instead, he left before the drug could take its full effect, which happened on the road later, hence his accident! Had he died, she would have been responsible! But when the H finds out what she did, he reacts pretty much the way the h did with the OM, just lets it go! he says it explains why she was so attentive to him while he was recovering, because she felt guilty, and I guess he feels she redeemed herself??? did he stop to think that she let him leave her house knowing he was drugged and would be driving a car and didn't warn him??? There was NO EXCUSE for that!!!!
So, because the H and h were so lackadaisical about these two horrible excuses for human beings, I'm taking a star off this book, two is all it gets, for potential wasted.
Instead, it becomes one of those "separated for several years, not married but not divorced" situations, with neither of them doing much to remedy the situation, what with him traveling all over to one danger zone after another as part of his foreign correspondent job, and her finishing college and starting her career as a music teacher.
It's only when the OM (and I'll talk about him later) pushes her to do something about her situation, after two years of not hearing from the H except for a postcard saying he'd visit at Christmas, which he didn't. It was that disappointment that made her start seeing the OM, but strictly on a friendship basis (despite his being horny for her body).
Neither the H nor the h made much of an effort to stay in touch. She tried contacting him once (hoping for a chance at a real marriage) at the agency he worked for, but he was off on another assignment, and she didn't try again after that. He didn't get in touch with her at all for well over a year until that postcard. So, it doesn't seem that either really cared very much, despite our supposed to believe they both really loved each other.
In fact, the feelings on both sides seemed rather weak to me, despite another passionate night when they finally get together again (thanks to her kindly, interfering uncle, who caused a lot of problems with his good deeds). At first the h sees him as a white night who saved her damsel self from danger in a war-torn country, then she starts thinking her feelings were all in her imagination and she never loved him, then she's intensely jealous of the OW (more about her later), then she tries to act indifferent and talks about the OM as if she may consider a future with him, then she tries to convince herself they're better off divorced, then (after a talk with her aunt about marriage) she decides she'll love him forever and lets him know it! Pretty roller coaster erratic to me!
As for the H, he was worse! After their night together (knowing that he was her first and that she had fallen for him) he gives her the old "thank you ma'am" and disappears in a hurry, as covering the counterrevolution was more important than his new wife. In fact, he tells her to forget about him and get a divorce ASAP. He excuses not contacting her by saying he was always on the go with his job, and he told her he wasn't the 9-5 domestic type, and h assumed she'd gone ahead and ended the marriage and about Christmas: well, it seems a friend of his was supposed to contact her about why he didn't show up but apparently that didn't happen. Oh, well! RIDICULOUS! Then, he has the nerve to accuse her of sleeping with the OM (a kiss she didn't enjoy much was as far as she went) as if he'd betrayed him! He later claims he always loved her (why do I have a tough time believing that??) and that the reason he hoped she'd gotten a divorce was so they could start all over again. (WHAT????) Half the time he acts moody and bad tempered, when he's not acting nonchalant about their future. He could really be ANNOYING!!
But their flaws can't compare to the toxic (and I mean TOXIC) OM and OW!! Talk about HORRIBLE people!!!
The OM is twice the h's age (the father of one of her students) who has major issues with women since his wife left him (and I don't blame her a bit). This guy was so crappy that even his money wouldn't be an incentive to be with him (and we're talking mansion and yacht)! He's pushy (keeps telling the h how much he wants to sleep with her when they've just been casually dating, then asks her to marry him (probably thinking that's the only way he'll get her in bed) and seems to take it for granted she'll say yes, keeps pushing her to end her marriage, then sabotages her chance to be head of the music department (he's on the school board and his money/power rule) by telling everyone they'll be getting married soon and she won't want to work anymore.
But MUCH WORSE, when she returns from her visit with the H, and makes the mistake of going horseback riding with the OM (mainly because he kept pestering her) she tells him she still loves the H and is pregnant with his baby (which the H didn't know about yet), he went berserk!!! He started calling her nasty names and then hit her with his riding crop!!!! She took off on the horse to get away from him, fell and got hurt and lost the baby!! He had the nerve to visit her at the hospital and act as if he hadn't done anything wrong, then when he found out she lost the baby he said good, he was glad!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!! She had the nurse throw him out and never saw him again, but she should have had him arrested!!! This guy was dangerous, and his daughter shouldn't be living with him!!!
But they just let it go! Even when the H finds out what happened, he just gets angry but that's it! You'd think after finding out the guy called his wife filthy names, hit her, and caused her to have an accident that killed their unborn baby he would have beaten him to a bloody mess!! (I would have LOVED that!!) but no dice.
As for the OW, she was a popular actress who was a longtime friend of the H but couldn't accept that statis and lies to the h about having an on-and-off affair with the H whenever it suits their purposes, being two free spirits who refuse to be tied down. It seems she was the friend he trusted to tell the h why he didn't show up on Christmas (he'd been in a car accident), and he assumed she'd written to the h (not too bright, is he?) and when he never heard from her, assumed she didn't fare that he could have gotten killed and needed a few months to recover. I guess it never occurred to him to write to her himself afterward, before making that judgment?
But (as with the OM) the OW did a lot worse, as she was the cause of his accident!!! They had gone to a party and afterward she made him stop at her place (she could be just as pushy as the OM), hoping to talk him into spending the night. When he told her he had other plans, which included paying his wife a visit, she drugged his drink, hoping she could keep him there overnight and seduce him into the bargain. Today, had she succeeded, she would have been a rapist!!!
Instead, he left before the drug could take its full effect, which happened on the road later, hence his accident! Had he died, she would have been responsible! But when the H finds out what she did, he reacts pretty much the way the h did with the OM, just lets it go! he says it explains why she was so attentive to him while he was recovering, because she felt guilty, and I guess he feels she redeemed herself??? did he stop to think that she let him leave her house knowing he was drugged and would be driving a car and didn't warn him??? There was NO EXCUSE for that!!!!
So, because the H and h were so lackadaisical about these two horrible excuses for human beings, I'm taking a star off this book, two is all it gets, for potential wasted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2024
Kate was stuck in a foreign country with amnesia and no one could help her get out of the area. Along came Sean Kierly, saw the situation she was in and claimed to be her fiance...the only way they could leave was to marry there, the authorities said.
Kate thought she had known Sean before so went along with the story until she realized that Sean only married her to get her out of this country. Sean told her to divorce him when she got back to England. She didn't see him for 2 more years; he thought she was looking after the divorce but she wasn't.
When they met after 2 years, she still didn't want to divorce him especially after hearing his story...but they did meet and talk and stayed married. Funny story!
Kate thought she had known Sean before so went along with the story until she realized that Sean only married her to get her out of this country. Sean told her to divorce him when she got back to England. She didn't see him for 2 more years; he thought she was looking after the divorce but she wasn't.
When they met after 2 years, she still didn't want to divorce him especially after hearing his story...but they did meet and talk and stayed married. Funny story!
April 14, 2021
After their marriage ceremony they consumed the marriage and then he went away and they didn’t see each other for two years. He only sent her one postcard in those two years.
I like besotted heroes, but he doesn’t seem very much in love. He doesn’t have that urgency, that need, to be with her like a truly besotted hero.
It’s well written, so it kept me reading.
I like besotted heroes, but he doesn’t seem very much in love. He doesn’t have that urgency, that need, to be with her like a truly besotted hero.
It’s well written, so it kept me reading.
July 11, 2017
I'm glad Kate wasn't as much of a pushover as in other Harlequin romances...wish the author had given more of a back story as to why Kate wasn't allowed to leave San Marco, aside from the General "not wanting her to get lost."
July 9, 2020
One of the better pulp romance writers.
February 26, 2022
I wish there had been more to the opening romance than one day. It would have been more exciting if they had had more trouble fleeing the ware torn country and had more of a bonding experience.
not-interested-in-reading
June 29, 2022Did Not Read. Refuse to Read. Not My Cuppa. Stupid Plot. Sounded too boring to waste time on.
May 18, 2016
2008 Review: Ugh, it was beyond horrible...Oh god... thank god I didnt buy this book - I would have been so pissed! The story is the heroine had lost her memory and was trapped in some country that was on the verge of civil war (I guess) so the hero was recruited by the uncle to help extricate her from that country. Making long story short, they had to marry for real in that country so they can escape. The hero supposedly fell love at first sight with her picture (where she was all blooming and lovely) and the heroine fell in love with him/his image even though she never met him before, or something like that. I think I got the whole plot correctly I guess, if its wrong its cause the whole plot was a big??? to me. So basically she regains her memory and the hero says she must dissolve the marriage because he is not husband material since he is a news journalist and doesn't stay in one place, etc. etc. Of course the heroine is in love with him, and says its ok, I can live with that etc. etc. Anyway, two years passes by and she has moved on (with the thought that he doesn't care about her since he sent her one postcard saying he'd see her but never did, etc.) Ok, I dont want to get into the whole story but the bottomline is, what the hell kind of story is this??? How dare the hero not agree to be with her??? If he loved her, he wouldn't have left her alone that long!!! Even in the end, the situation didn't change and they still will be separated sometimes due to his job! And the hero, in my opinion, DID NOT change or compromise at all. Bottomline is, if the heroine did not agree to his terms then they wouldn't be together 0_0 Of course he didn't say it like that, but that's the feeling I got. Because the heroine said yes, blah blah, yay, happy ending. Gawd...! After reading two consecutive books where the heroes super duper loved the heroines and put their happiness first, THIS "hero" Sean Kierly just seems like a big SOB. And 2nd throughout the book, there wasn't that many interactions between the hero/heroine where I'd go aw[...] or I'd think, oh, they're slowly falling in love/knowing each other, etc. that I could see on why he loves her and vice versa. As for the heroine, she was a big major disappointment. I also fail to see why she loves the hero. And the fact that she had a miscarriage at three months, geezz.... also, the hero.. the author made it seem like he reacted angrily - but not angrily enough in my opinion! And the "villain" wasn't even punished for causing the miscarriage!! To sum up, the book felt disjointed from start to finish. Though plot sounded exciting (amnesia, trapped in foreign country, marriage to a stranger) in actuality, the book was slow, boring, and choppy and uninspiring hero/heroine. Agh, thank god I only borrowed this book from the library.
February 8, 2021
Expediency had been the only reason for Kate marrying Sean Kierly, and immediately after the wedding he had taken himself off and for the next 2 years she had seen and heard nothing of him. Now, in Ireland, they had met again - and the natural, sensible thing to do seemed to be to dissolve the marriage and put the whole experience behind her. But Kate had fallen in love with Sean at first sight and was still reluctant to divorce him. Yet what was the point of clinging to a man who so obviously didn't love or want her?
Read
June 4, 2011Might have 3 copies
March 12, 2015
I like it
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews