Reviewed by Roberta

TITLE: A Better Man

SERIES: The Men of the Halfway House #1

AUTHOR: Jaime Reese

PUBLISHER: Romandeavor. Inc

LENGTH: 210 pages

BLURB: 69,034 words. 2nd edition. Revised and expanded.
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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.

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.

REVIEW: This book was beautiful and yet so heartbreaking at the same time.

Matt Doner has just come out of prison and is trying to do something good.  He wants to open this halfway house for guys who come out of prison and need a bit of help making the adjustment to going back into society.  His heart is so very open and full.  He’s had so much bad to deal with and yet, he’s still trying to make things right.  He’s got his secrets that he’s carrying around and thinks that no one will truly understand who he is and why he’s doing this.  He just wants to make things better for others and in a sense, pay it forward. 

Julian is this wonderful guy who just wants to make a living doing what he loves the best.  He’s been out of steady work since the economy tanked and he’s been barely getting by.  He has secrets of his own that he carries, and yet he’s this great guy.  He appreciates when someone goes out of their way to show kindness and heart.  He’s this strong, kind and definitely a wonderful man.  He doesn’t wear his heart on his sleeve, as he’s had a rough childhood. But that still doesn’t stop him from being the good man his mother said that he was going to turn out to be.  He lives up to those wonderful words that his mother wanted for him.

The secondary characters in this book were some great characters.  I will say that Matt’s mother, Olivia, made me want to reach into the book and just smack her.  She was this AWFUL Woman and in no way was she a Mother to ANYONE.  I liked Alex and Lindy.  They weren’t on the page much, but they were real and honest and that made me like them a bunch.  I liked David, he was Julian’s landlord.  He was this sweet guy who did the best he could and kept maintaining a good relationship with Julian and then with Matt.  It was sweet to watch this guy who just cared so much about friends and Family.  Sam.   This guy was just so AMAZING to me. He help with the inmates and called them his boys. He stayed close to Matt and helped him as much as he could.  It was sweet the way that he was so very protective of Matt.  I will say Mitch, Matt and Alex’s father came through in the end.  He wasn’t on the page much until the end, but when he came, he came out swinging. These were some really good secondary characters.  They supported and loved, well, not Olivia, but she thought so in her own very twisted way. 

Matt and Julian were very sweet characters.  They each had secrets that they hid from each other and other people, however, they were such good men.  They both just wanted to do good for themselves and others.  That really came through on the page.  I liked that this was a sweet, slow burn type of book.  That it took place over the course of a year and that they got to know each other before falling into bed.  That was nice to see.  That even when they got together, they still took the time to care and get to know each other and really support each other.  That the love that grew between them was real and oh so special to see grow and flourish.

I will say that this book had moments that broke my heart.  Listening to Matt and Julian finally spill their secrets to each other.  To watching Matt standing up to Olivia.  To seeing Mitch take the steps that he needed to in order to step up to the plate in dealing with Olivia and his boys.  It was wonderful and heartbreaking to read about the horrors that these two had suffered and yet to watch them both grow and become Better Men.

This story is sweet, touching, tender and heartbreaking, but what got me going was the hope and love that flowed through the pages.  I can truly say that it was worth the time to read and enjoy each and every moment of this story.  You won’t be disappointed reading this book.

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BUY LINKS:  Amazon Romandeavor.Inc