#RisqueReads | #BookReview | THIS MAN (This Man #1) by Jodi Ellen Malpas @JodiEllenMalpas (20th October 2012, Forever Romance @ForeverRomance)

THIS MAN (This Man #1) by Jodi Ellen Malpas
Published; October 20th 2012, Forever Romance

Book 1 of This Man Trilogy, the #1 New York Times Bestselling Series!

Young interior designer Ava O’Shea has no idea what awaits her at the Manor. A run-of-the-mill consultation with a stodgy country gent seems likely, but what Ava finds instead is Jesse Ward–a devastatingly handsome, utterly confident, pleasure-seeking playboy who knows no boundaries.

Ava doesn’t want to be attracted to this man, and yet she can’t control the overwhelming desire that he stirs in her. She knows that her heart will never survive him and her instinct is telling her to run, but Jesse is not willing to let her go. He wants her and is determined to have her.

Where do you start when talking about the THIS MAN trilogy by Jodie Ellen Malpas, well you start by admitting how much you love this story.

Don’t get me wrong, when I first read the novel This Man, the first of the three novels I actually wanted to slap Jesse Ward, he is arrogant, big headed, rude and obnoxious. The kind of man I wouldn’t give the time of day to in the real world, yet there is something else about this character that draws you in. When Ava first meets the Lord of the Manor we are as clueless as she is to the nature of this impossibly handsome man, yet utterly attracted to him. Ava is going into the situation blind and we’re right along for the ride.

Here is a young woman who is fiercely independent, not wanting to rush into being tied to a man, yet she has no other option when Jesse Ward sets his sights on the beautiful Ava. Sure she can fight against the attraction, has a stubborn streak to be proud of, but all in all Jesse gets his way. He has all the right moves to ensure he does.

There is something both irritating and delicious about these characters. I wanted Ava to walk away in the beginning, to assert her dominance on this alpha male but then I also wanted her to give in, to let herself be consumed by Jesse, the way the reader is consumed by him. Jesse is a tough but to crack. Sure his arrogance can be grating but he’s also endearing, the daredevil nature of his character is alluring, with the body of an Adonis to boot. There is a charm to this man that I found very attractive, a vulnerability he shows only to Ava that makes you fall head over heels for him.

The series takes you on a remarkable rollercoaster, the highs for Jesse and Ava are heavenly, definitely “Central Jesse Cloud Nine” but the lows are just as powerful.

Devastatingly so. You feel everything that these characters are going through, the sexual chemistry is through the roof, hitting you with every turn of the page, the moments of sadness and loss making those intimate scenes feel even more beautiful. The path for Jesse and Ava isn’t smooth but it is a joy to read. After reading all three novels I fell in love with Jodi Ellen Malpas as an author, the kind of writer I would love to be. Her story of Jesse and Ava is raw, emotionally and so sexually charged that I found myself blushing when reading on the commute. I’ve read this trilogy three times now, each time I fall more and more in love with these characters, more and more in awe of Jodi Ellen Malpas and recommend the series to anyone and everyone.

Move over Mr Grey because The Lord is going to sweep us off our feet and keep us on “Central Jesse Cloud Nine”. Thank you Jodi Ellen Malpas for giving us this story and for creating these characters. It is safe to say Jesse Ward is one of my favourite book boyfriends.

You can buy THIS MAN (This Man #1) from the following booksellers (and many more!);

Amazon (UK) | Amazon (US) | Book Depository | Waterstones

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