Beyond His Control

SEAL #3

by Stephanie Tyler

Assistant District Attorney Ava Turkowski knows about leading a dangerous life—her father was a risk taker who died in the line of duty and her beloved brother is taking just as many chances. Now a high-profile case has landed Ava herself in the crosshairs—and the only man standing between her and certain death is the one she can't forget.

Justin Brandt was Ava's brother's best friend, her protector during her wild-child teenage years…and the object of her hottest fantasies. Now he's a highly trained Navy SEAL with a body to die for and he's been tasked with keeping Ava alive.

Which means keeping her close—the closer the better…

Genres: Romance, Military Fiction, Contemporary, Harlequin Blaze, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Romantic Suspense

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 2008

About the author

New York Times Bestselling author Stephanie Tyler writes what she loves to read - romantic suspense novels starring military heroes and paranormal romance novels novels starring warrior heroes, all complete with happy endings. She also writes as SE Jakes.

And because she's not busy enough, she also co-writes as Sydney Croft. She lives in New York with her husband, her kids and her crazy Weimaraner, Gus.

For more information on Stephanie, please visit www.stephanietyler.com or email her at stephanie@stephanietyler.com.

For more information on SE Jakes, please visit SEJakes.com.

For more information on Sydney, please visit www.sydneycroft.com or email Sydney at sydney@sydneycroft.com

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

35 cents at ubs.

3.5* Grade B-

I realized as I started reading this that I'd read one of the earlier books in this trilogy and enjoyed it. For the small size, Tyler does a good job of packing in a very tense and exciting suspense plot. Of course this is a Blaze, so you expect the over-the-top sexual attraction and descriptions of tingling body parts. That's okay because you know what you're getting when you pick up one of these titles.

This book was better than average and I enjoyed almost the entire story. I understood Ava's reluctance to get involved with someone with a dangerous job. The author did a good job showing that and not just describing it. But the author lost a star when she couldn't find a way out of that dilemma believably. My eyes started rolling when all the women in these SEALs lives get together for a mutual admiration meeting where they comment on each others awesome awesomeness. And then they explain to Ava how they cope with the stress of having husbands who might never come home. They all have jobs or hobbies that are dangerous, too! See, that makes lots of sense, right? When they have kids, that kid could lose both parents, not just one. Such stability! Plus, how does that help?

I have a great deal of respect for the wives and husbands whose spouses put themselves in danger for others. Not just the special forces people, but police, firemen, and all military personnel. I think Tyler might have been able to come up with a way to promote the quiet strength of otherwise "ordinary" people who keep it together and provide that safe place for their spouses while they wait for their safe return.

[Maura · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
This is a second chance romance combined with a pretty good suspense plot. Our two main characters, Ava and Justin knew each other as teenagers and were flirting around with a relationship before Justin up and married the girl he knocked up. Except that's not really the main obstacle here, since that story is a whole lot more than what it seems. And even without that, Ava had issues with the fact that Justin was headed for the navy and if they ended up together she'd continue living and loving someone who might one day not come home (like her father and brother). But they're forced to face these issues and the love they feel for each other when Ava becomes a target because of a case she's trying as an assistant district attorney. Her brother, in the DEA, and tied to the case, calls in a favor from his best friend Justin to come protect her. And this just rehashes all of their feelings and issues. Justin wants to look forward and be optimistic about what could be while Ava can't stop thinking about how it felt to have her father never there and her brother always in danger. And how this will likely be similar being with Justin...

As far as second chance romances go, this was done well, but maybe because the actual cause of their separation got resolved pretty quickly and forgotten just as quickly, while these two moved on to bigger and badder obstacles to their relationship. The primary source of conflict is Ava's fear of losing the ones she loves...and given that she's built her entire life keeping people at a distance and avoiding that type of relationship in order to prevent it, I'd say it's a pretty significant aspect of her personality now. And honestly, the angst this creates in their relationship as they both fall in love and sort of realize they might not have a future makes for some good reading. Add in the dash of suspense as Ava tries to stay alive as the mob family her case will take down tries to kill her (and a bit of sweetness and suspense while following Leo and Callie's side story) and it's a nice read.

But, it kinda breaks down there towards the end as the author tries to resolve Ava and Justin's main conflict - her fear of losing the people she loves. Unfortunately, the author does such a great job of establishing this fear and showing the tragedy of it (and Ava's really being afraid of it)...of her father never being there for her, of having to put on a brave face at deployment and then breaking down sobbing once you're alone, that I doubted the HEA. Yeah, there was some token SEAL wives moments where they talk about how they stay calm and supportive of their men (while living dangerous lives themselves...hope they don't have kids) and Ava seems like she's ready to just toss all her concerns away for love, but I wasn't buying it. I still felt like at some point down the line, she's going to remember how much she resents it (first child's birthday missed or a miscarriage he's not there for or something...) I also struggled with the fact that Justin doesn't really sacrifice much for Ava. She sacrifices everything - accepts his dangerous career and all that goes with it despite her justifiable concerns - and he makes no concessions. I do give him credit for being willing to walk away because he couldn't give her what she wanted, but still. I feel like a compromise could have been made...like, he's a SEAL until they're ready to have kids and then he backs off on the danger aspect so they don't end up with the upbringing she had and apparently disliked (though at the end she claims to remember that there were good things about it too? If that's the case, more discussion of that might have sold me on the ending)

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars
Navy SEAL Justin Brandt gets a call from his best friend, Turk, to check on Turk's sister, Ava, because she's in trouble. Justin has always watched out for Ava even when she didn't know it.
Justin broke Ava's heart nine years ago when he left her. She's never trusted another man since. When he shows up at her door when she's is trouble, there is no one other than her own brother she would trust to help her.

I breezed through this book. The chemistry between Justin and Ava is steamy...their history makes things even hotter for them. Most of the story is about them running from "something" but not really meeting up with much. A few things get unexplained, though it didn't detract from the story.

Also introduced in this book are Callie and Leo (Turk). I would have liked a bit more about them. Their part of the story was a little less believable.

What I really liked was the push-pull between Justin and Ava. In some romances, it ends with the characters saying they love each other and that's that...happily ever after. This one was more...love isn't always enough. They've always loved each other, but that doesn't mean it will work. Plus, happily ever after doesn't mean that it isn't difficult or scary.

I read this book without having read either of the 2 previous books - Coming Undone Harlequin Blaze 315 SEAL team Book 1 and Risking It All Harlequin Blaze 327 SEAL team Book 2. The other characters are mentioned and play a part in this book, but it wasn't necessary to have read those books.

[ツ Renée · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like Ava until the end of the book. She was too selfish and unsupportive. And though emotion doesn't often allow for logic, I thought she should have pulled her head out of her ass a lot sooner. Justin was awesome. He is everything you want in a man. Loyal, caring, sexy, intelligent, hard-working, and protective. The secondary romance with Leo and Callie was sweet. It was also nice catching up with Hunt and Cash. I hope Rev and Hollywood get their stories.

[May Mostly Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beyond his control ของสเตฟานี ไทเลอร์

หนังสือเล่มที่สามในชุดเกี่ยวกับทหารหน่วยนาวีซีล ของสเตฟานี ไทเลอร์ เล่าเรื่องราวของจัสติน แบรนท์ คนที่ไม่ได้อ่านเล่มก่อนหน้าในชุดก็ไม่ต้องกังวลนะคะ แม็กซ์รับรองว่าอ่านเรื่องนี้ได้รู้เรื่องแน่นอน เพราะเราเองซึ่งยังไม่ได้อ่านเล่มแรกในชุดด้วยซ้ำ ก็ไม่มีปัญหาอะไร

ฉากเปิดของหนังสือเล่มนี้ทำให้แม็กซ์หวนนึกถึงหนังสืออีกเล่มที่แม็กซ์ชอบมาก ๆ เรื่อง Pearl Cove เพราะมีพล็อตที่คล้ายคลึงกัน นั่นก็คือ จัสตินที่กำลังพักผ่อนกับสาวสวยที่เขาเพิ่งหิ้วมาจากบาร์หลังจากกลับจากภารกิจในอัฟกานิสถานได้รับโทรศัพท์จากเพื่อนรัก ลีโอ ซึ่งเป็นตำรวจปราบปรามยาเสพติด และกำลังปลอมตัวสืบคดีใหญ่อยู่ ลีโอพูดเพียงสั้น ๆ ให้จัสตินไปคุ้มครองเอวา น้องสาวของเขา

นี่ไม่ใช่ครั้งแรกที่จัสตินต้องละทิ้งทุกสิ่งทุิกอย่างตรงหน้าเพื่อเดินทางไปนิวยอร์ค และจัดการปัญหาให้กับเอวา ในฐานะที่เธอเป็นผู้ช่วยอัยการประจำรัฐ เอวาถูกคุกคามโดยคนร้ายมากหน้าหลายตา และโดยที่เธอไม่รู้ตัวด้วยซ้ำ จัสตินคือคนที่ขจัดปัญหาของเธอให้หายไป

จัสติน เอวา และลีโอเติบโตมาด้วยกัน พวกเขาได้พบกันเมื่อจัสตินซึ่งเป็นลูกชายของคนรวยโดนไล่ออกจากโรงเรียนเอกชนราคาแพง และต้องมาเรียนโรงเรียนรัฐ ที่นั่นเขาได้พบกับเพื่อนรักลีโอ และเอวาน้องสาว ผู้หญิงเพียงคนเดียวที่จัสตินรักอย่างหมดหัวใจ ทั้งสามเป็นเพื่อนที่สนิทกันมาก จนกระทั่งทุกอย่างพังทลายลงเมื่อจู่ ๆ จัสตินก็แต่งงกันกับผู้หญิงอีกคน ที่ทั้งเอวา และลีโอไม่เคยได้ยินชื่อด้วยซ้ำ (พระเอกมีเหตุผลค่ะ เหตุผลที่ใช้ได้เลยล่ะ)

มันเป็นการหักหลังที่เอวาไม่อาจทำใจยอมรับได้ เธอรู้ว่าจัสตินเป็นของเธอตั้งแต่ครั้งแรกที่พบกัน การที่เขาทรยศทำให้เธอไม่อาจวางใจใครได้อีกต่อไป ชีวิตของเอวานับจากนั้นก็คืองาน ซึ่งเธอทุ่มเทเวลากับการเรียนต่อกฎหมาย และกลายเป็นอัยการฝีมือดี

การกลับเข้ามาในชีวิตของเธออีกครั้งของจัสตินจึงไม่ใช่สิ่งที่เธอต้องการ แต่เอวาก็ไม่มีทางเลือก เพราะเธอถูกตามล่าโดยมาเฟียใหญ่ ทั้งสองต้องหลบหนีออกจากนิวยอร์คไปซ่อน ทั้งตำรวจปราบปรามยาเสพติด และหน่วยซีลซึ่งเป็นเจ้านายของจัสตินทำทุกอย่างเพื่อให้เขาส่งตัวเอวาคืนเข้าสู่ความคุ้มครองของตำรวจ สิ่งที่จัสตินไม่มีวันทำ เพราะเขาไม่ไว้ใจใครให้คุ้มครองเธอ มันไม่สำคัญเลยว่า การที่เขาเก็บตัวเธอไว้ จะทำให้อาชีพที่เขาสร้างขึ้นจะพินาศลง (จัสตินถูกขู่ว่า ถ้าไม่คืนตัวเอวามา เขาจะกลายเป็นคนหนีทหาร)

ในเ���ลาเดียวกับที่จัสตินและเอวาหนีเอาชีวิตรอด ลีโอก็กลายเป็นเป้าของมาเฟียที่ค้นพบว่าแท้จริงแล้วเขาเป็นสายตำรวจ ลีโอถูกจับพร้อมกับแคสซี่ เพื่อนสนิทของเอวา แต่ทั้งคู่ก็หนีไปด้วยกันได้

สำหรับหนังสือที่หนาสองร้อยกว่าหน้า เล่มนี้พล็อตเยอะค่ะ มีตัวเอกถึงสองคู่ แต่ก็น่าอ่านทั้งสองคู่เลย เพราะความรัก ความผูกพันแต่หนหลังระหว่างเอวาและจัสติน ก็เลยทำให้การบอกรักแทบจะไม่ใช่เรื่องจำเป็น การเคลียร์ความเข้าใจในอดีตต่างหากที่เป็นประเด็น และความกลัวถึงอาชีพที่เสี่ยงอันตรายของจัสตินที่เอวาไม่ต้องการให้เขาทำก็เป็นอีกประเด็นนึง เธอเคยเสียพ่อให้กับอาชีพอันตรายพวกนี้มาแล้ว เธอไม่ต้องการรักคนที่ทำงานโดยเอาชีวิตตัวเองไปเสี่ยงอีก

แม็กซ์ชอบความสัมพันธ์ของจัสตินและเอวามาก เราเชื่อสนิทใจไปกับเรื่องราวหนหลังของทั้งสอง เชื่อเด็กทั้งสองรักกันแค่ไหน และมันเจ็บปวดแค่ไหนที่ต้องแยกจากกัน และนี่ทำให้เราเชื่อในการสารภาพรักหลังจากกลับมาเจอกันเพียงไม่กี่วัน

อ่านเล่มนี้แล้วทำให้เรารู้สึก มันเป็นเล่มที่สเตฟานีมีพัฒนาการในการเขียนหนังสืออย่างชัดเจน (เมื่อเทียบกับเล่มสองในชุด) และเป็นเครื่องบ่งชี้ที่ทำให้เราเกิดความรู้สึกอยากอ่านหนังสือเล่มต่อไปของเธอขึ้นมาทันใด น่าเสียดายว่า เท่าที่ทราบเธอจะออกงานที่เป็น Single Title แม้จะยังคงมีพระเอกเป็นคนในเครื่องแบบอยู่ แต่ก็ไม่ใช่ตัวละครต่อเนื่องกับเรื่องในชุดนี้ ซึ่งเราดูแล้วหลายคนมีแววน่าสนใจมาก

คะแนนที่ 70

[Natasja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Justin Brant, a highly trained Navy Seal gets a call from his friend Leo Turkowski with a request. Leo is working undercover to get more information to put the O’Rourke’s behind bars. But somehow his younger sister Ava is involved in this case and Justin has to get her out of town fast. Justin cannot refuse this request and is heading to Ava, even though their history together.

Ava Turkowski is working on an abusive case of Susan Mercer, who seems to be connected to the O’Rourke’s family. Ava has been treated before, but not like this. So when she receives some photographs of her and the people around her, she knows that she has to leave town. And when Justin appears on her doorstep not long after getting those pictures, she knows she’s in big trouble.

Justin takes Ava to a safe house only his Navy Seal members knows about and hopes he Leo will contact them soon with more information. But it seems the DEA has a traitor in their midst and Leo is caught and beaten to death. Can he escape the O’Rourke’s and save his little sister or should he let Justin do that job?

Beyond his control by Stephanie Tyler is the last novel in her first Navy Seal trilogy. Just like the previous books, it’s easy to read, full of danger and a fabulous hero and heroine. What else can you ask for?

Justin and Ava know each other for quite some years now and were even involved, but that ended abruptly when Justin married someone else. Ava was heartbroken, but determined to survive this. So she made a career as a lawyer, but she could never forget the love of her life. Now he is back and determined to keep her safe.
Justin knows his favor to his friend Leo will be hard, how can he be around Ava after what he done to her in the past. Should he tell her the truth or keep her in the dark. The one thing he cannot ignore is his feelings for her, growing inside getting stronger and stronger.

This is the last book in Tyler’s first series and it was definitely worth to read. Those handsome Navy Seal will sweep you off your feet the moment you met them.

[Virginia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Synopsis - Assistant District Attorney Ava Turkowski has dedicated her life to helping abused women, both at work and off the clock. Of course, the men who abuse their wives don't always limit their malfeasance to battery, and her most recent case is tangled up with a family of drug traffickers. Her brother Leo is a DEA agent whose cover is blown when Ava is targeted for helping the abused wife disappear. Leo calls his best friend (and Ava's high school crush) Justin Brandt, a Navy SEAL, to get her out of town.

Justin arrives in time to save Ava from unknown gunmen, but otherwise everything goes wrong. Leo and Ava's friend Callie are both captured in attempt to get Ava to surrender. While trying to stay safe and do whatever they can to help their friends, Justin and Ava have to deal with the events and miscommunications that drove them apart 9 years ago.

Review - I didn't make it to the half-way point. So far the author has placed us inside at least 5 different heads. The gradual revelation of the main characters' history is choppy and teasing (in an unpleasant way). Their emotions are all over the place and I'm having a hard time following the mood swings.

There are some interesting questions and uncommon plot twists. I like the idea of an underground railroad for abused women and the fact that the women seem strong and capable (even if Ava seems a bit emotionally inconsistent). I think Stephanie Tyler has a great imagination, and I would love to read more when her flow improves.

Additional Notes: While this book is technically part of a series, the stories are not especially connected. We see some of the same characters, but these are definitely stand-alone titles.

[Romancing the Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review by Jen:
Ava and Justin were in love as teenagers, but forces beyond their control tore them apart. Years later, Justin is a Navy SEAL and Ava is an Assistant District Attorney. Ava’s current case has put her life in danger and her brother has called in a favor with Justin to protect Ava’s life. As they are on the run, emotions are running high and finally all those fantasies have a chance to become reality.

This is the third book in Stephanie Tyler’s SEAL series, and it’s lived up to and perhaps exceeded its predecessors. In this book, we finally get some action (outside of the bedroom) that I’d expected when seeing that the hero is a SEAL. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. In fact, I especially liked the secondary characters of Ava’s brother and her friend, who end up getting together in the story. I only wished their story could have been explored a little further.

[elstaffe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not really a romance, which surprised me, given the publisher/line. Oh, there was a hypothetical romance between the male and female protagonist (and a subplot with another romance), but there was so much plot there weren't enough pages for everything. For me, the thing that saved this from falling below 2 stars was a moment towards the end of the book where the heroine has moved into the hero's house without his knowledge and painted one of his kitchen walls pink. It was both the high point and the only point at which the ridiculousness of the story intersected with my own sense of the ridiculous.

[Natalie Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its true that sex sells because I doubt anybody bought this book for the quality of the writing. As it happens I did not buy this book, it came into my possession by winning it as a prize at a 21st birthday party. As the book went on it did get better as it was not till towards the end that I found myself liking the central character 'Ava' and found myself getting rapt in the relationship. The ending I found a bit too abrupt. One thing I did like was the insight it gave into the lives of military personal and the impacts on their family.

[Netanella · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thing about many contemporary romance heroines these days is that they spend most of their time with their heads up their collective asses. Unfortunately this is the case with Ava, our supposedly bright ADA whose unflagging duty to her mission puts the life of her brother at risk, nearly ruins the military career of the man she supposedly loves, oh, and did I forget that she just walks all over him.

Great book except for her. Such a shame.

[Yona Racheva · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

I liked it but not entirely. The characters were so stubborn - they are wrong but they are right in the same time and I just don't know what to think. I get angry at something and in the next moment I can't be any more because it is well explained and it was all so confusing.

But it was a nice story with a good end.

[IkeaGoddess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. It is actually a two in one story as there are not only Justin and Ava, but also her brother and Callie. My problem was that I found myself way more interested the story of the supporting couple than the main couple's. Both storylines are great with interesting characters and the interweave perfectly, however both are missing a bit of depth, therefore only 4 stars.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Harlequin Blaze romantic suspense story involving a Navy SEAL on leave, asked by his best friend to watch over his sister who is in over her head in a lawsuit against some very powerful and dangerous people. It is a friends to lovers story that is exciting and almost bittersweetly romantic.

[~Megan~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was way better than the first in Tyler's Harlequin Blaze SEALs series! This time there was actual action, and the SEAL acted like a SEAL. I enjoyed both the main romance and the secondary romance. I haven't read the second in the series yet, but I'm sure I'll pick it up at some point.

[Krista]

This was a good book !!

[Shawna · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars – Romantic Suspense

[Suzanne Pierontoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seal number 3 is just as delicious as the first!
Wonderful series.
Great characters and story lines.
Way to go.

[Connie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book.

[Julie theriault]

it was good but not great second time I was reading it