Review: A Worthy Man (The Men of Halfway House #5) by Jaime Reese

Vannguard Shaw has spent the last ten years serving a life sentence and adjusting to the ache of solitude. He accepts his fate, a sacrifice for the only man he ever loved and the one person who saw beyond his rough edges.

Drayton grew up with a trust fund and pre-planned future, but an unexpected encounter one night forces him to abandon everything and start from scratch. He is now a self-made man and developer of one of the most sought after electric exotic automobiles in the world with a fortune greater than that of his birthright. Yet, he’d surrender it all—again—for the only man who’s still ever-present in his heart.

After a decade and entirely too much distance between them, Vann is suddenly released back into a world that has been nothing but cruel. Drayton never lost hope they would once again reunite and pick up where they left off, but Vann’s stubborn nature and repeated encounters with a heartbreaking world prove to be a challenge.

Vann needs to tap into his fighting spirit’s reservoir of strength and hope life doesn’t punish him for taking a chance. Only then will he realize his own value and feel worthy enough to finally have Drayton’s heart. And their chance at forever.

Damn, but every book in this series is such an emotional ride! A Worthy Man is right up there, but I do think this one is even more relationship focused (which sounds weird to say with this series, I know) making it even more romantic to read. The setup is unique in that the two MC’s, Vann and Drayton have known one another since their teens and have been in love since about that same time. And they don’t have that, “Oh aren’t they perfect for each other, how sweet” kind of love, they have that soul deep, eternal kind of love that’s just plain, more.

Vann and Drayton came from completely different backgrounds. Drayton grew up with all the privileges (at least on paper) and Vann had to scrape by just for the necessities. Both had shitty parents in common and both sides were a complete waste of carbon so the boys were on their own early in their lives. Drayton was a genius with few social skills so he spent a lot of time avoiding bullies and being alone. Vann was the bad boy constantly sporting black eyes and bruises that weren’t from fights with other kids, but at the hands of his worthless father. Vann stepped in one day to defend Drayton and the rest was history. They had their “outcast” status in common and they were the kind of opposites who attract and complement, the author did such a good job of showing me the connection between the characters from their teen years on through to adulthood.

Shit got real in Dray’s house one night and neither of the boys was at fault, they were the victims, but they paid the price for the assholery of the very people who were supposed to protect them above all else. Not everyone is meant to be a parent that is for damn sure. Vann goes down for protecting Dray and the two are separated for ten years as Vann serves his prison sentence. While Vann is on the inside the story is told in flashbacks and dual POV and it sets up the time that these two come back together perfectly. There is no way their connection would have read so strong and real without it. It made me so anxious for their reunion and I felt the excitement and tension as the day for Vann’s release came closer.

There are so many “moments” that you just have to read for the first time to be able to wallow in the love properly. I highlighted the hell out of the book, but when I went back to pick a quote or ten I couldn’t do it. I loved reading them the first time and I don’t want them to lose their impact for you. So instead of details I’m going to ramble on about my feelings and how much I loved all the love. 

When Vann gets released the two have SO many things to talk about, to clear up, to reconfirm and this is where the dual POV and flashbacks paid off hard. Without knowing what was going on in their brains, the connection wouldn’t have been a given to the reader and instead of just loving the evolution of their relationship there would have been a lot of wasted time on confuzzled feelings all around. There were enough road blocks and speed bumps for these guys on their way to infinity, they needed each other unconditionally and the focus stayed on their journey instead of any manufactured miscommunication.

As the story progressed and Vann made it through one milestone after another, he’d take a couple steps forward and one step back, but every one of them opened gave the two of them another “moment”. Vann found out more and more about how much faith and belief Dray had in him and it never wavered once. That’s not something that someone with Vann’s background and level of self-esteem believes with a couple of sentences, but Dray had all the history, all the magic words and the perfect sense of timing for Vann to be able to receive all of Dray’s love and believe every word.

Dray had locked himself in his ivory tower of equations while Vann was away. He worked tirelessly for Vann’s release and to build the company that brought their two strengths together. The company wasn’t just about business, it was an investment into their future based on their past. I loved all the ways Dray made sure Vann was included, even though he was inaccessible. But, while Dray built his empire he reverted back to his outcast ways and missed out on years of connections with other people. Vann was his confidence and his catalyst to come out of his shell and it was really very sweet reading about these two egging each other on to overcome their discomforts. These two were more than just epic romantic declarations, they were full of snark and inside jokes with one another and reading about them letting their guards down gave me a glimpse into their HEA.

A Worthy Man can be read as a standalone and while you don’t need to read the rest of the series in order to dive into this installment, you should because some of my favorite characters made appearances.

HI JULIAN!!!! 

*waves maniacally*

I cannot wait for the next installment, which is greedy as hell considering I just finished this one, but I do feel another reread of A Better Man coming on. It happens every time Julian makes an appearance for me. I am so anxious to know what is coming next though. We met some new characters in A Worthy Man and I would love to have Vann and Dray make their HEA appearance in the next book. I have a serious soft spot for Ben, one of the residents of the halfway house. He didn’t have a ton of page time, but he was pretty impactful, so more of him would be most welcome, but hell, I’ll take any of Jaime’s characters and their stories.

**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**

Review: A Mended Man (The Men of Halfway House #4) by Jaime Reese

Detective Aidan Calloway is rock-solid strong. He's a man of justice—loyal to his friends, family, and job—even if it requires bending a law…or two. He shields himself behind an abrasive, fearless facade, until a phone call one night chips his armor and throws his perfectly planned, hollow life into a tailspin.

Jessie Vega is the epitome of optimism. His carefully crafted attitude of hope and positivity protects him from a past filled with too much pain. When a ghost from a dark time resurfaces and nearly breaks him, he must tap into his inner strength or risk losing everything he's worked so hard to build.

But Jessie can't do it alone. He must fight to break through Aidan's ironclad defenses to reveal the heart of the man hiding beneath the tough surface and mend his damaged spirit. Only then can they truly heal and become strong enough to battle the demons that haunt them and threaten their chance to finally be together.

Well, that was a journey. A long journey that covered SO many emotions. It was so well done though that I didn’t take any notice of the page count (or percentage count) as I read. I was way too engaged in the evolution of Aiden and Jessie to even pay attention.

I’ve been hooked on this series since Julian and Matt in A Better Man. I read that one in 2012 and reread it again and again. Julian has always had a special spot in my heart. I love strong protective characters with tough pasts. The characters who take all the hurt and pain and learn what NOT to do from their early experiences. They learn from the crappy hand that life has dealt them and teach themselves to be better men. That’s Julian and now, that is Aiden. In no way is he like Julian, but he has those same core qualities that make me all swoony inside and get me hooked right from the start.

Both Aiden and Jessie have been around in the series for a while and I was as anxious as everyone else for their story. There were glimpses into their lives, but for the most part they were both a mystery until now. There was a lot of story for each of these guys to get through and the author had to balance a lot of backstory while at the same time having them move forward. I really liked how the pace played out. Anything rushed would have cheapened their experiences and their hard won HEA wouldn’t have been nearly as valuable as it was.

The action starts right at page 1 and doesn’t let up for quite some time. When someone from Jessie’s past comes for him and tries to break him, Aiden is there for him and I learned so much about Aiden’s heart in the first third of the book and in a really unique way. His actions in that time showed me everything about his feelings for Jessie and even though Jessie wasn’t an active player in any of the scenes, Aiden’s thoughts about him gave me a ton of insight into Jessie’s character as well.

They’ve both been through their own versions of hell up until this point and had walls they’d built and coping mechanisms to deal that got them through their daily lives. They’re both getting by, but neither of them are really living. The bulk of the book is about, just like the title states, mending. Jessie has been in therapy for some time so he’s got a jump on Aiden in the coping department and thank goodness for that. He knows when to push and when to give space, and mostly he knows what to do to give Aiden peace to heal and a safe space to just be.

While the book is lengthy and full of difficult emotions and experiences, there wasn’t manufactured angst between Aiden and Jessie thankfully. They had to work to be together, no doubt about that and it was not easy, but they didn’t cause any undo drama between each other just because. There was enough baggage for these guys to work through without any of that and any trepidation Aiden (well, mostly Aiden) had was born out of a desire to protect Jessie. But Jessie knew how to work Aiden and take him to a healthy place so he could process and feel loved.

The way the two of them made each other feel was my favorite thing about A Mended Man. There was more than just therapeutic communication going on throughout the book. It was also a slow burn courtship that was really delicious to read. They flirted and opened up to one another in really adorable ways. They settled into daily routines that gave them the comfort and confidence to attempt actual “relationship” stuff and to just try and be a normal couple. I really think all of those little moments gave Aiden the strength and determination he needed to be able to process all of the painful memories to get on the path to mending his heart and soul.

The appearance and references to the other couples from the previous books were welcome moments that made me feel warm and fuzzy. Cole is still his loud and imposing self and his little nuggets of wisdom were spot on and the pure logic of his ramblings drove Aiden crazy. Each character returned with their strongest personality points and they all fit right in at just the right times.

The mystery at the end wrapped up rather quickly given the overall length of the novel, but honestly, I was all about the relationship aspect of the story and it was fine by me.

The HEA Aiden and Jessie earned was a tough one and they earned every little bit of happiness they fought for.

**a copy of this story was provided by the author for an honest review*

For more information on A Mended Man, check it out over on Goodreads.

Review: A Restored Man (The Men of Halfway House #3) by Jaime Reese

Cole Renzo thinks his greatest challenge is to behave for the remainder of his term at Halfway House. Until he meets his new boss, Ty Calloway, a man who ticks off every box on Cole’s list of interests.

A sought-after restorer and customizer of exotic and collectible cars, Ty had enough confidence to command what he wanted in life, until one fateful night changed everything. Almost two years later, he’s slowly rebuilding his life with great control. He’s defied the odds and works tirelessly to be the man he once was—but he still feels broken.

Cole’s candor and unfiltered personality awaken Ty’s barely-remembered desire to greet each new day with a smile, while Ty’s unwavering acceptance of Cole’s quirks and brash humor makes Cole feel as if he fits in for the first time in far too long. When a nemesis threatens Ty’s personal restoration and the things he holds dear, Cole is determined to protect their relationship, even if that means sacrificing everything he’s worked so hard to achieve.

But Ty will have to let his guard down, surrender control, and admit he needs Cole first, even if that puts himself at risk of breaking beyond repair.

If you are getting ready to read A Restored Man, and believe you me, you should, and you’ve read the first two books in the series, you’ll remember Julian. You know how he’s one of those characters? The kind that just have that certain something that makes them truly memorable and unique. The kind that sticks with you long after their story has been told. Jaime Reese has given us readers another one of those characters. His name is Cole and he is amazing.

We met Cole at the end of book 2 and while he came across there as a charming hot mess it was obvious he had a story to tell and his story does not disappoint. Cole’s got some issues, serious issues. He’s all over the map and speaks WAY before he thinks. That really doesn’t do him any favors and he’s constantly irritating the ever loving crap out of people. Thing is, he’s not mean, he would never purposely hurt someone else, he just, as Julian puts it so well, “had no social filter between his brain and his mouth”.

This is a novel length story and I’m really glad it is. Jaime Reese makes consistently fully fleshed out both main and secondary characters. I appreciate it so much because I can always get completely caught up in every book in this series. I always remember every character and all their personality quirks.

The beginning third of this one is both nerve wracking and heartbreaking. While there is definite attraction between Cole and Ty, there was no insta-love. Thank goodness! I love when I can get to know each character so well separately BEFORE they fall in love. It makes the relationship and reactions make so much more sense and it was especially true for these guys. They both have some serious baggage they are carrying around but they don’t turn it into an angst fest. They actually do what is supposed to happen in relationships and they draw strength from one another. It wasn’t always smooth and there were a few misunderstandings along the way. But, because I already knew the characters as individuals, I could empathize with both of them because I understood where they were coming from and their motives were always clear. It’s a refreshing change to read.

As the guys begin to settle into a relationship their charm really shines through. They have so many adorable “moments”. I love when a couple has “moments”, stuff that is totally unique to the two of them. They totally get each other, Cole can finally just be himself, be accepted and most of all appreciated for who he is. Ty can finally look forward to a future and let go of the guilt and pain that has been riding him for years. As they get closer the relationships they have with the rest of the players in their loves gets better too. It’s a really sweet journey to read about all the way around.

Of course Cole and Ty aren’t going to get off that easy and then just ride off into the sunset. There is an outside force that could ruin both their lives. It was stressful and frustrating, but instead of driving a wedge between them, it brought them closer together. If it had come along earlier in the book, it probably wouldn’t have worked out well at all, but by this time they had strength from each other as well as the support of all the secondary characters.

My only niggle in the story was that I do wish that Cole had felt some sort of real remorse for his past chosen profession. It probably didn’t help that my auto insurance just went up for no reason so I was railing against having to pay more for no damn good reasons that were my own. Not a big deal to the story, but it did bug me a little given all his growth with everything else.

I do hope we get to see more of these two in the next installment. Which, if it’s about Aiden and Jessie they have to make some appearances right? I love that Matt and Julian are consistent and getting to read about them some more makes me feel like I’m visiting old friends and I’m looking for that same feeling with Cole and Ty.

For more info on A Restored Man, check it out on Goodreads.

**a copy of this story was provided by the author for an honest review**

Review: A Hunted Man (The Men of Halfway House #2) by Jaime Reese

After surviving ten years in prison, Cameron Pierce is attempting to put the past behind him. He tries to adjust to his newfound freedom with a place at the halfway house and a job. But one lesson he learned in prison keeps him guarded: hope is a dangerous thing.

Hunter Donovan, Assistant State Attorney, is a man of justice who loves a challenge. After a lifetime of putting his career first, a milestone brings him to a harsh realization—he's lonely.

Hunter's world changes when he meets Cam. The wary young man intrigues him and awakens a desire unlike anything he's ever experienced. When Cam's past resurfaces and threatens to rip them apart, their budding relationship is challenged and Cam's hope for a future begins to dim.

These outside forces hunting Cam will stop at nothing to send him back to prison. But they'll have to get past Hunter first.

I know the author was concerned about the length of this book, but all I have to say about that is, thank you! I loved losing myself in this full length novel and gladly will do so in the next one as well. While this was a very romantic story, it had full scale mystery and action as well. One aspect wasn’t used just to move the other along and so the balance made the book flow so well I never noticed the length until it was almost over; and then I didn’t want it to be. I would easily classify this as a mystery that happens to have gay main characters as much as I would an MM romance.

The mystery of what really happened to Cam and how he ended up with a prison record is wrapped in layers of who? and why? and wait, WHAT? As the story unfolds my heart broke for how wronged Cam was over and over and my respect for him grew. Something stunk about why Cam was railroaded when he was sent to prison, the whole time he was in and even after his release.

Through the whole book I was doing this:

1. Spidey senses are telling me all is not right with the release, I smell deception and nefarious activities!
2. Ok, so a little bit more of Cam’s past coming to light, but I don’t get the setup, there HAS to be more.
3. Oh hell, LOOK, there’s more!
4. No WAY, not him, no man would do that, would he???
5. He did, but why? WHY?
6. There’s a mole on the inside, it’s gotta be him, he’s got the perfect cover.
7. Well, shit, wasn’t him.
8. OHMYGAWD I NEED TO KNOW ALL THE THINGS!

So, yeah, I got completely sucked into the mystery, not to mention the badass ex-military hero action. That was good stuff and not over the top. Heroic AND believable and I loved it.

The secondary characters are strong in A Hunted Man and keep the story moving while adding depth to the main characters. Cam needs a support system like he’s never had before and thankfully that support starts with Sam who we met as Matt’s champion in A Better Man. Matt and Julian are back and I loved reading about them again. Especially Julian, I will always have a special place in my heart for Julian. While the Halfway House is a major setting it’s really a connection point so this story didn’t read as merely a continuation of A Better Man, but as a completely new novel with expanding storylines and possibilities.

Cam gets a job working for Lucy and Bill at the diner that Hunter frequents. I don’t think Cam could have been set up with a better job than the one at the diner or with better people that Lucy and Bill, they aren’t characters I’ll forget about any time soon. My favorite though is definitely Hunter’s dad.

I love that man.

When you meet him you can see exactly why Hunter is the caring and fiercely loyal man that he is. Collectively we read about A LOT of awful parental units in the MM genre, but you will not read a better father than Hunter’s dad, don’t even try. The conversations between Hunter and his dad are some of my favorite parts of the book and his acceptance of Cam had me choking up at the perfectness of Cam finally having a father figure in his life.

All that being said, I do love my romance, so let’s talk AAALLLLL about that.

Ahhhh, the romance in this story is off the charts hot, sweet and intense. Cam ends up getting loved pretty hard in this book and man did this guy need it. The reassurances and comfort Hunter gave him were powerful and while might have been too much for another character, for Cam they were perfect. He had a lot of time and loss to make up for and I think the impact of Hunter’s love made it possible for Cam to believe happiness was possible for him. Cam’s underlying theme, the thing he wants and fears more than anything is hope.

The quote at the beginning of the book is perfect for Cam:

“Hope. You can fear her, ignore her, resent her, but she will never abandon you when you need her most.”

Cam has missed so much when he was locked away and the author captured both his confusion and resilience so well. He spent his 20’s behind bars, incredibly formative years for a young man and he missed them all, all he could do was work on surviving and look forward to the day when he would be free. When he settles into the Halfway House and gets the job at the diner he has his first chance of normalcy in a decade. Then he sees Hunter, Hunter sees him and the really intense sexual tension starts.

And, while the sexual tension was SO good to read, I loved the charming banter between the two just as much. Cam finally was able to feel comfortable and safe with someone. Cam’s true personality evolved very naturally and I felt like I was really getting to know him as a person and not an ex-con along with Hunter. There are a lot of little moments that I loved and the connection between the two of them was perfectly done. Hunter really is a sweet romantic sap and while it’s obvious Cam eats up every word and gesture like a starving man, he can’t help but call Hunter on his sappiness bringing some needed levity to their lives and the whole messed up situation they are in. Cam really is very funny and charming, and reading his evolution throughout the book was heartwarming. While, at the same time, the mystery and potential for absolute disaster kept me on edge.

The overall package that is A Hunted Man has everything I love in a good book. No, scratch that, a really great book. This is definitely going to be a reread for me as soon as I see the date of release for the third in this series. Something with Jessie maybe? Aiden? I’ll take either (preferably both) but whatever comes next I will be right there, clearing the calendar, building a couch nest and holing up so I can read it all as soon as I get my sweaty little hands on it, just like I did for A Hunted Man.

A copy of this book was provided for an honest review

Review: A Better Man by Jaime Reese (The Men of Halfway House #1)

Matthew Doner is starting over. After a five-year prison term that alters every aspect of his life, he receives a bequest from his aunt with the stipulation that he use the money to make things right. Breaking free of the long-standing role he's played and inspired by the few who support him, he decides to create a safe place where people like him can find purpose and start a new life. Julian Capeletti likes challenges. He is confident, brash, stubborn, and just what Matt needs. Desperate for work after a downturn of luck, he accepts the job to renovate Matt's crumbling building. Over the course of a year, romance simmers between them as they restore the house. But there's a bigger renovation that must take place in their hearts. To become better men, they need to learn to trust each other even with secrets and painful memories they fear may rip them apart.

NOTE: 2nd edition is revised and expanded.

I first read this story back in November of 2012 and fell in love the main characters Matt and Julian. Sometimes you read about two guys who just fit together like perfect puzzle pieces and they fill the empty spaces, that’s what Matt and Julian are to each other. That impression really stuck with me and made this one of my favorite reads. When I found out the story had some revisions and was being re-released I contacted the author and shamelessly begged for a review copy. Hoo-RAY for me and being shameless because it was totally worth it and no here we are! *tips hat* Thank you Jaime.

Matt is fresh out of prison for a white collar crime and there is a WHOLE story behind all that that I’m not giving away. Matt comes from money but he did not grow up happy. His favorite aunt, the one who always accepted and supported him, has left him her estate and his only instructions are to do “something good” with what he now has. His goal is to build a halfway house for men like himself who have come out of prison with no support system and just need a solid foundation to rebuild their lives. This is no small undertaking and the dump of a house he has purchased needs a complete redo. No contractor will take the job, too much work, not enough budget, too little time. Enter Julian Capeletti, down on his luck handyman loner extraordinaire. Julian needs work and while he sees that this project is pretty overwhelming he’s not one to shy away from a challenge and a tenuous partnership is formed.

Matt and Julian are attracted to each other but there are a lot of reasonable things standing in the way of the two of them connecting. They are employer/employee, Matt is afraid that Julian will be completely turned off because of his past and of course there’s the whole, “is he even gay?” thing. There is an intense amount of back and forth, flirting and stepping back and dancing around all the issues in the year it takes to get the house ready for inspection and their first guest. I think that was one of the things I loved most about this story. Lordallmighty! I wanted these two to do SOMETHING, but it really wouldn’t have been right and the payoff? When these two finally connected? In ALL the ways? Was so worth the literary blue balls journey it took to get there. I totally believed the love between these guys, I was there through the whole struggle to get along, the tentative friendship, the real flirting (Julian says to Matt after he gets his hair cut short “Don’t cut your hair so short the next time. You should keep it at least grip length.” – HELLO!) and finally the honesty and true love.

Matt does have support outside of Julian in the form of Sam, whom he met while he was incarcerated. Sam is going to help Matt in any way he can to make sure the halfway house succeeds and he gets the right fit in the guests who will be living there. Julian didn’t know what the relationship meant between Matt and Sam (he didn’t know Matt’s background at that point) and seeing how jealous he was of Sam at first and the slow acceptance of each other was pretty cute. They’re both very protective of Matt in their own way.

You know what was awful and fun? Meeting and hating Matt’s mom. Good gravy that woman is a bitch. Not a good kind of bitch either, she’s a she devil of the highest order with absolutely NO redeeming qualities. No awful past to be able to explain away her awful, she’s pretty much the worst mother and just so very cruel to Matt. Ohhhh, and that gets Julian’s hackles up in the most alpha of ways. Sometimes it’s fun to have a character that fuels your hate fire and this is her. The only reason she is so awful is because she just is, so you can loathe her with impunity and love to hate this villain.

Matt and Julian’s backgrounds couldn’t be more different but they really had so much in common. Loneliness is loneliness, it doesn’t matter where it comes from and for once in both their lives they belonged somewhere. They had the house and they had the comfort of each other. Each man inspires the other to be a better man and it’s so sweet that they see the other as the best possible man already.

I love when couples have a “thing” something that is just theirs. A running joke between them is Julian’s middle name, or the fact that Matt can’t figure out what it is, and Julian’s hatred of the nickname “Jules” that Matt’s friend Sam insists on using for him. Matt comes up with a compromise and decides to just call Julian “J”. Julian doesn’t really do nicknames in general, but Matt gave it to him and after that, he only wants to hear Matt say “J” to him. Plus it doesn’t matter which one says “I love you” the other will say “I love you more” – that’s just . . . just . . . . d’awwwwww! Because I saw the evolution of their relationship these little things are tender and important and not just irrelevant sweet talk.

I’m so excited to read the next installment of this series. I feel all kinds of invested in their relationship, the work they have put into the house and the goals they have set up for themselves there. The story of their first guest has me completely intrigued and I sense some seriously awesome angst heading my way when I read about him. Bring. It. On.

A copy of this story was begged for by the reviewer and provided by the author for an honest review.