Beneath This Man
By Jodi Ellen Malpas
Series: This Man, Book 2
My Rating: 4 Stars
Beneath This Man is the second book in Jodi Ellen Malpas’ This Man trilogy. I’m sticking with my initial assessment that if you liked E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey series and Sylvia Day’s Bared to You series you are going to love this trilogy. Fitting firmly in the contemporary romance and erotic romance genres, it is sure to thrill readers who fancy these genres. One thing I’ll say about this series is that the main characters in these books are a bit older than the characters in Fifty Shades and Bared to You series. Ava is 26 and Jesse is 38 which means they have a bit more life experience than the characters in the other two series. But I still think the appeal will be the same.
Synopsis
Ava has discovered Jesse Ward’s secret and it was so devastating that she ran, just like he knew she would. Torn between her love for the ever controlling and deeply secretive Jesse Ward, and her needs to be her own person and not become just an asset or a side piece for Jesse, Ava must find a way to move forward. Desperately seeking a balance that will allow her to have both her freedom and independence and Jesse, Ava will walk a fine line and hope that it will all work out for them in the end.
Jesse Ward is more determined than ever to have Ava and he’ll stop at nothing to make her a permanent part of his life. He knows his secret has devastated her and he’ll put everything he has forward to win her over, forever. Now that he’s found her, letting her go isn’t an option. He’ll die before he sees that happen. He just has to convince her, giving into him is the best thing for both of them.
My Thoughts
Yep, still thoroughly enjoying this series. I’m going to admit I liked the Fifty Shades and Bared to you series, so I like these books. They are bit more rugged and disturbing than the other two though. Jesse Ward is far more controlling than Christian Grey and Gideon Cross. He borders on stalkereque at times which in reality would be a bit frightening but for fiction it’s completely allowable. Especially escapism fiction like these types of books since we know it’s likely going to all work out in the end. I’m not going to go into the whole debate of what these say and do to feminism and women’s rights. It’s complete and total escapism fiction, not real in any way shape or form, and so far from any reality possible that it’s not worth commenting. Instead I like to look at the emotional aspect of the characters. How their choices affect the other, how they interact together and overcome their problems. And frankly, I like to just immerse myself in their romance. At times Ava and Jesse are so ridiculous and obtuse that you can’t help but laugh at their reactions toward each other. I like seeing how they fight and work through their differences. They find a way that works for them. It’s not for anyone else to understand, only for them and that’s the most important thing. I’m really looking forward to the final book in this series and seeing how everything turns out for Ava and Jesse. I’m hoping there will also be some filling in for other characters in the series. I want to see what happens to Kate and Sam. I just love them. Maybe there will be a series about them in the future? Who knows.
aklibgirl 