Review: A Chosen Man by Jaime Reese (Men of Halfway House #6)


Note: An advanced reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author.

“Don't break my heart,” Wall whispered. 
Dylan inhaled sharply, letting the words settle in his mind. “Don't break mine.”

The men of Halfway House are back, and the new guy just about broke my heart with his back story, but then the same could be said for the guy who makes him believe in love. I went into A Chosen Man, the sixth novel in the Men of Halfway House series, totally blind and with high expectations. I'm happy to say that my faith in both the author--the undeniably gifted Jaime Reese--and her series paid off because this book everything I could have hoped for. There's angst balanced out with humor plus romance with its fair share of sexual tension and downright hot moments, but the added bonus of having an action-packed mystery suspense story angle? Well, consider that an added benefit because it was like hitting the jackpot for a fan of the genre like me. Oh, and can I mention again that this was written by Jaime Reese? If you've read any of her books, you know you're so in for a worthwhile read.

When twenty-three-year-old Dylan Vaughn is released and sent to the Halfway House, he refuses to get his hopes up. He knows all too well what disappointment and rejection can feel like, and the last thing he wants is to grow attached to anyone or anything while transitioning from prison to the outside world. But there's something about the occupants of the Halfway House--both the owners, Matthew Doner and Julian Capeletti, and one other particular fellow named Ox--that makes him feel an inkling of hope that maybe, just maybe, this'll be his chance at some place that feels like home. Then his past comes calling, and when the cavalry is called in, thirty-six-year-old Grayson McCormack just happens to be part of it. Nicknamed "Wall", Gray is quiet and observant and oddly quite protective of the colorful firecracker that is Dylan, but can Gray protect his own heart from the enigmatic hacker?

I loved the romance, and I loved the suspense, which basically means that this novel had the whole romantic suspense thing down pat. Jaime Reese doesn't skimp on either one, and it made for such an entertaining read, one that gave me a slow burn romance plus a mystery suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat. There were no easy answer or fixes, whether it be Gray (yeah, I prefer calling him Gray over Wall) and Dylan trying to let go of their respective insecurities and pasts in order to see if they could make a go of an actual relationship or figuring out who could be after Dylan and what their actual motives may be. Don't you love it when an author doesn't underestimate what her readers are capable of? And while this can be read as a standalone, I'm highly recommending you check out the series as a whole because it's just THAT good. Five-plus stars for A Chosen Man. ♥

Release Date: 26 September 2018

Date Read: 22 September 2018

Learn more about Jaime Reese.

Purchase A Chosen Man on Amazon.

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