Reviewed by Donna

TITLE: A Chosen Man

SERIES: The Men of Halfway House #6

AUTHOR: Jaime Reese

PUBLISHER: Romandeavor, Inc

LENGTH: 470 Pages

RELEASE DATE: September 26, 2017

BLURB:

For Wall McCormack, actions speak louder than words. He’s giving and protective, loyal to his friends, and devoted to his job. While confident and powerful enough to conquer any challenge, his greatest strength lies in his calm nature. Until an unexpected assignment sends his world into a loud and colorful chaos he never could have anticipated.
Rejection. It’s something Dylan Vaughn has known his entire life. But he’s a tough nut to crack and refuses to break. Armed with a sharp tongue and brutal honesty, he pushes through life and at anyone who attempts to take him on. Except for the quiet guardian who piques his interest and dares him to want…more.
When Dylan’s past comes back with a vengeance and jeopardizes their growing connection, Wall will stop at nothing to protect the younger man and remain by his side. But convincing Dylan that someone accepts the real man behind the cocky facade might prove to be Wall’s greatest challenge yet.
With his freedom on the line, Dylan must trust the strength of their bond and confront the forces threatening their future. Only then will he realize the dream of acceptance is real and finally have a place to call home.

REVIEW:

It’s no secret that The Men of Halfway House is one of my favourite series, and this sixth installment is further evidence that my adoration of the HH men is not misdirected.

A Chosen Man delivers Wall’s story, the silent giant of a man who worked along side Aidan on the police task force that took down the threat to Jessie (A Mended Man). Wall is a man of grunts, growls and monosyllabic sentences. He has little trust in other people after having his heart torn out and stomped on by people he should have been able to trust, in separate instances years earlier. Lies and deception are two things he will not accept yet he expects nothing else. Which is why he is living life in self imposed, metaphorical isolation. He has no friends other than his workmates on the task force, he hasn’t visited his mother in years, and a relationship…? Hell no. Despite being attracted to Dylan from the moment he lays eyes on the younger man, he has absolutely no intention of acting on his attraction. In fact, in theory Dylan is everything that Wall hates most. He hides his true self from the world with his bright clothes, his even brighter hair and his numerous fake identities. How could Wall ever trust a man like that, a man who was a criminal to boot? But the heart wants what the heart wants and luckily for Wall, Dylan isn’t a very shy fellow.

Dylan, well forget Wall because I’m pretty sure the author created this character just for me. From the rainbow hair to the freckles across his nose to the angry unicorn tattooed on his arm, Dylan Vaughn is perfectly perfect. And that’s before you look below the surface. I do love a messed up pretty boy who is desperate to be loved. Dylan has never been wanted by anyone in his lonely twenty-three years. From the moment he was dumped as a baby with his umbilical cord still attached no one has loved him or wanted to keep him around. A bit of a clueless genius who prefers to spend time with code than people, Dylan reminds me a lot of Cole (A Restored Man). Fellow fans of this series will know that Cole is forever getting smacked around the head for saying the wrong thing, but where Cole buried himself beneath the hood of a car, Dylan lost himself in computer code. When Dylan arrives at Halfway House and is met by owners, Matt and Julian (A Better Man) he finds it hard to believe that anybody could actually want him around. The struggles that he goes through, desperately trying not to feel hope, clutches at your heart and perfectly demonstrates the internal issues that all of the men in this series have to face. But more than that emotion, the sheer joy that the author infuses into the story as Dylan understands that he’s wanted is ridiculously heartwarming. There is a chapter where Wall “gives Dylan snow” and oh my god, it was one of the most adorable scenes that I’ve ever read.

The plot was that perfect mix of mostly relationship building with a bit of action thrown in that most of this series includes. There is never any need for contrived relationship dramatics that sees one character storming off just to add a twist to the plot. While these men are both struggling to manage an actual relationship, they talk and confide their fears to each other. All the drama comes from the bad guys with guns.

Although this is the sixth story in the series it could be read as a standalone. I know that I’ve referenced previous books in the review but any books from the series work on their own. However I think reading at least A Mended Man first would give you a better understanding of some of the secondary characters who make appearances here. And speaking of secondary characters, A Chosen man delivers one of my favourites this year in the form of Ox, fellow Halfway House guest and a shoe in for the gentle-giant cliché. I think even if I hadn’t loved Dylan and Wall’s story I would have re-read this book for Ox alone.

If you haven’t started this series yet then I recommend you look into it quick smart because you’re missing out on some brilliant writing. If you love romances that deliver more love than any normal heart can handle then these are the books for you. Seriously, how could you not want to read this book when the gorgeous guy on the cover has a unicorn tattoo!?

RATING: 

BUY LINK:

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