This Man by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Jodi Ellen Malpas has written many books over the years but her THIS MAN series continues to be one of her most popular and memorable because I keep coming back to it. Ava O’Shea and Jesse Ward’s relationship was all-consuming, tumultuous, and even frustrating at times but it was also very addicting. Ava is a runner and Jesse can’t help but try to chase and control her. This dynamic of theirs contributes to their push and pull relationship. While I do find their romance to be incredibly passionate, it was also very toxic and to the point of their own destruction. We're given bits and pieces behind the enigma that is the "Lord of the Manor" but it was becoming obvious that he kept secrets from Ava—ones that might irrevocably ruin their relationship forever. I did find this rather strange but also endearing because he was afraid she wouldn't approve of his age, profession, and past deviant behavior.

"Everything is so much more bearable with you around."

There is no denying that Ava and Jesse have a lot of sexual chemistry with each other. From the moment they met, Jesse pursued her relentlessly and tried to "trample" over her life. It's a good thing that this is fictional/romance land because some of his actions would be psychotic in real life. Not only did he call her multiple times during work hours but he would stalk her in the name of protecting her. While part of me did understand his good intentions, I also found it really intense. Unfortunately, Ava herself simply let all of this go because she was blindsided by her lust and feelings for Jesse. I liked Ava but was also frustrated by her inability to say no to Jesse. He was trying to control her life and when she tried to fight back against him, Ava always succumbed to his sexual prowess. Nevertheless, I did appreciate her character and my heart broke when everything fell apart.

"I can't get close enough to you. The control is because I'm frightened to death that something will happen to you… that you'll be taken away from me. I've waited too long for you."

In the end, I actually enjoyed this re-read a lot more this time simply because I knew what was going to happen and still remembered parts of it. I'm certainly looking forward to reading Beneath This Man and will actually attempt to finish the series this time. Jodi Ellen Malpas is planning on releasing This Woman in November, which tells Jesse's side of the story and I'm really interested in diving into the mind of this complex and broken character. Even though Ava is finally aware of Jesse's secrets, she still doesn't know about what he did to her pills and I'm waiting for that moment to drop. If you love extremely possessive heroes who are passionated, devoted, and obsessed with their heroines, then look no further because Jesse Ward is your man.

Rating: ★★★★☆